Quit Calling Elon Musk a Genius: He Buys Existing Innovations and Puts His Name on Them

Dissecting the layers of hype and mythology, a distinct image presents itself—one in which Musk’s skill primarily resides in acquiring innovations, enhancing them, and crafting a compelling narrative, rather than inventing anything revolutionary himself.

Photo by Andrew George on Unsplash

Quit Calling Elon Musk a Genius: He Buys Existing Innovations and Puts His Name on Them

Elon Musk’s name often comes up as synonymous with genius, innovation, and futuristic thinking. His fans credit him with leading cutting-edge enterprises like Tesla, SpaceX, and Twitter (now “X”). Dissecting the layers of hype and mythology, a distinct image presents itself—one in which Musk's skill primarily resides in acquiring innovations, enhancing them, and crafting a compelling narrative, rather than inventing anything revolutionary himself.

Let's face it: Musk's claim to be an inventor is not accurate.

The companies and technologies he’s associated with were largely in motion before he got involved. His skill is strategic investment and relentless…