[nightowl_games]

> How can you tell me... ?

I'm not presenting this as fact but the argument is clearly that Musk's net effect on the global population is positive through his career choice and life's work, and that jetting around is necessary for him to complete this life's work.

[mplewis]

The thing that makes me think twice about that argument is that Elon has just spent an enormous sum of money on a social media website that doesn’t seem to further the goals of materially improving the world.

[schiffern]

It's not all-or-nothing. Musk can still deliver a net environmental benefit without every activity being directed solely toward that goal.

[chii]

> doesn’t seem to further the goals of materially improving the world.

why should that be a goal of his? I mean, unless you expect that just because he's rich, that he's obliged, how his enormous amount of money is spent is not something anyone else can critisize.

[giantrobot]

He could do that shit with a Zoom meeting. Musk has enough money to get one of those really swanky Cisco telepresence tanks. He doesn't need a fucking jet to complete anything except being another asshole billionaire.

[boringg]

Agree this is the argument. I find it funny that people point to his individual CO2e footprint as kind of this gotcha moment. So thoughtless.

The baseline condition is everyone is still in ICE cars -- he changed that and have altered the trajectory - the transaction cost is his own emission to raise capital and build companies. Now add in the CH4 rocket fuel - might do some counter damage to the net impact but I haven't run the calculations -- probably could do a quick one. Should be using H2 if he cared about the environment ;)