The people of the late 19th and early 20th centuries distinguished between “tycoons” and “wizards,” but I think many were hybrids. I think Musk is like Ford, mostly Wizard, partly Tycoon. Edison was a Wizard with Tycoon tendencies. Westinghouse was a Tycoon with Wizard tendencies, which I think describes Bezos. What Wizards do has a deeper effect than what Tycoons do. Frex, Burbank was all Wizard, but he created the russet potato as we know it today, and from that sprang the ubiquitous modern French fry,
Tycoon vs. wizard is quite a reasonable distinction it seems to me.
And, no, to answer the question posed by Rand, Vanderbilt was not the Elon Musk of the 19th Century. Edison is about the closest comparand one can get from that era.
Anent Burbank and russet potatoes, let’s not forget potato chips either.
Elon Leonardo Isambard Alexander Nicola Musk.
From where do we get such men?
You left out: Black & Adder. 🙂
I’m glad Musk stepped away when he did, the long knives were coming for him. Hopefully his technicians have streamlined some of the governments systems so that at least a quarter of the remaining staff have nothing to do. Not that those dunsels will quit, but at least when they retire there will be no need for replacements.
The people of the late 19th and early 20th centuries distinguished between “tycoons” and “wizards,” but I think many were hybrids. I think Musk is like Ford, mostly Wizard, partly Tycoon. Edison was a Wizard with Tycoon tendencies. Westinghouse was a Tycoon with Wizard tendencies, which I think describes Bezos. What Wizards do has a deeper effect than what Tycoons do. Frex, Burbank was all Wizard, but he created the russet potato as we know it today, and from that sprang the ubiquitous modern French fry,
Tycoon vs. wizard is quite a reasonable distinction it seems to me.
And, no, to answer the question posed by Rand, Vanderbilt was not the Elon Musk of the 19th Century. Edison is about the closest comparand one can get from that era.
Anent Burbank and russet potatoes, let’s not forget potato chips either.
Elon Leonardo Isambard Alexander Nicola Musk.
From where do we get such men?
You left out: Black & Adder. 🙂
I’m glad Musk stepped away when he did, the long knives were coming for him. Hopefully his technicians have streamlined some of the governments systems so that at least a quarter of the remaining staff have nothing to do. Not that those dunsels will quit, but at least when they retire there will be no need for replacements.