Taylor Lorenz’s Power User Elon Musk's God Complex
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Dec 24, 2025 Fez Siddiqui, a former Washington Post journalist and author of "Hubris Maximus: The Shattering of Elon Musk," dives deep into Elon Musk's complex psyche. They explore early signs of Musk's ego, like his 2013 Mars ambition and his obsessive need for leadership. Siddiqui recounts the infamous Thai cave rescue incident and how Musk's Twitter addiction fuels his self-obsession. The conversation unveils Musk's god complex, political influence, and his habit of silencing critics. With humorous anecdotes, they paint a portrait of a man whose grandiosity shapes his world.
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Driven By Legacy Over Necessity
- Elon Musk wants to be the person who leads major projects, not just that they happen.
- Fez Siddiqui shows Musk's Mars ambition is driven by legacy more than necessity.
Thai Cave Rescue Intervention
- Musk inserted himself into the Thai cave rescue with a kid-sized submarine nobody asked for.
- When his team wasn't useful, Musk publicly smeared a rescuer and escalated online.
Grand Promises, Limited Deliveries
- Musk repeatedly offers big technical fixes during crises despite lacking domain experience.
- Tesla's ventilator attempt produced prototypes and sleep-apnea devices, not frontline ventilators.