“Exit interview” with Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley; Walter Isaacson on "Elon Musk"
Sep 17, 2023
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Fareed Zakaria interviews Gen. Mark Milley on avoiding great power war with China and importance of apolitical military. Walter Isaacson discusses his book on Elon Musk, covering Musk's vision for future industries, childhood impact, and transferring control of Starlink.
Elon Musk's childhood adversity shaped his risk-taking mindset and focus on fast iteration and modernization.
General Mark Milley emphasizes the need for a strong US military to deter China, while acknowledging the Ukrainians' courage and resilience in the conflict with Russia.
Deep dives
Elon Musk's genius lies in his ability to take risks and iterate
Elon Musk's childhood adversity, including violence and being socially awkward, shaped his mindset of punching back hard and taking risks. He believes that modernizing and iterating quickly is crucial. In Tesla, Musk's genius lies in making all the components in-house, unlike traditional car manufacturers who rely on suppliers. This allows Tesla to have complete control over the manufacturing process and enables constant software updates. Musk's goal is to develop self-driving cars using machine learning, where the vehicles learn from billions of frames of human driving behavior. Through SpaceX, he revolutionized space exploration by providing fee-for-service contracts, eliminating cost-plus contracts. Musk recognizes the government's role in incentivizing certain economic activities and successfully utilized government loans and tax credits for Tesla and SolarCity. Despite his libertarian leanings, Musk understands the importance of government regulation, including for AI.
The military readiness of the United States and the conflict in Ukraine
General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, acknowledges that war with China is not imminent, but he emphasizes the need for the US military to stay stronger than China for effective deterrence. Regarding the conflict in Ukraine, Milley states that China's capability to attack and seize Taiwan is not fully developed yet, and it would be a grave strategic mistake for China to attempt such an operation. He emphasizes the Ukrainians' courage and resilience in fighting against Russian forces and believes that it will take considerable time to militarily eject all Russian troops from the region. The strategic goal for Ukraine is to gain access to the Sea of Azov and free up its port in Odessa for exporting grain.
The transformation of Elon Musk's business enterprises
Elon Musk's transformational impact on industries is evident through his companies, such as SpaceX and Tesla. Musk's risk-taking nature drives his achievements, taking risks where traditional companies haven't. SpaceX uses reusable rockets and fee-for-service contracts with NASA and the Department of Defense, bypassing the cost-plus model. Tesla's success lies in its vertical integration, manufacturing components in-house, which contributes to its software-based approach and constant updates. Musk's ambition extends to self-driving cars, leveraging machine learning to teach cars how humans drive. His ventures have received government support in the form of loans and tax credits, facilitating the transition to electric vehicles and clean energy.
Elon Musk's approach to politics and personal characteristics
Elon Musk's approach to politics reflects an understanding of the importance of being informed within the political environment. While he acknowledges the need for government incentives and regulation, Musk believes in fee-for-service models over cost-plus contracts. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who has had interactions with Musk, confirms that the U.S. military is not 'woke' and describes it as exceptionally strong, powerful, and ready. Musk has had his share of controversies and has made mistakes, such as inadvertently participating in a political event, which he admitted was a mistake. Despite occasional negativity, Musk is open to feedback and has made adjustments, as seen in his decision to let the U.S. government have control over Starlink's authorization.
This week Fareed sits down with America's most senior military officer, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley who retires at the end of the month. They discuss the latest on Ukraine's counteroffensive, avoiding a great power war with China, and the importance of an apolitical American military. Fareed also speaks with the great biographer Walter Isaacson on his latest book, "Elon Musk." Isaacson shares what he learned about how the controversial tech mogul became who he is today, as well as the role Musk plays in politics, tech and more.
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