
Minute 53, very emotional moment by Elon Musk - edouard1234567
http://www.teslamotors.com/2013shareholdermeeting
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mtgx
He gets like that sometimes, and you can see he really cares about the
products he's making and the change he's trying to make in the world. So
sometimes he seems deeply affected that others are so much against him,
especially when they aren't playing fair.

He became a bit emotional in another interview where he said that Neil
Armstrong was opposed to the idea of having SpaceX making commercial rockets
(or any other private company), and that Neil Armstrong was a hero of his
before, and he was very disappointed seeing Neil fight against SpaceX.

You can see at 0:40, but I'm not sure it was all of it (from that part). It
was on the 60 Minutes interview.

[http://www.space.com/14936-spacex-ceo-elon-
musk-60-minutes-i...](http://www.space.com/14936-spacex-ceo-elon-
musk-60-minutes-interview.html)

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qwanzi77
"he seems deeply affected that others are so much against him, especially when
they aren't playing fair"

How exactly is Tesla playing fair? Did all car manufacturers receive a $500
million loan to build electric cars or something?

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enraged_camel
This is a complicated topic where your simple notion of "fairness" doesn't
quite apply.

In any industry where there are powerful incumbents and extremely high startup
capital costs, the startups often need to be given outside assistance (i.e.
government subsidy in the form of a loan) to have a chance of competing with
their innovations. This is not ideal, but it is a necessary evil.

Furthermore, the incumbents had plenty of chance to innovate. What many of
them did instead was to go bankrupt and ask for bailouts. Tell me: would you
trust these companies with another $500 million of taxpayer money? It's like
giving more stipend to a child who has proven irresponsible with money.

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bob13579
"What many of them did instead was to go bankrupt and ask for bailouts."

This is quite astonishing. A few large American car companies with large
pension liabilities needed the subsidies (I would have let them failed and let
more efficient car manufacturers take over their assets, personally). Every
other large manufacturer didn't need subsidies.

"Furthermore, the incumbents had plenty of chance to innovate."

The combustible engine is more efficient than ever. We're getting many more
miles per a gallon of gas than we ever had. The efficiency of the engine has
done much, much, much more than electric vehicles to curb carbon emissions.
Going forward, making the combustible engine and hybrids more efficient will
do magnitudes more to curb carbon emissions than all-electric vehicles.

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enraged_camel
_The combustible engine is more efficient than ever. We're getting many more
miles per a gallon of gas than we ever had. The efficiency of the engine has
done much, much, much more than electric vehicles to curb carbon emissions._

Yeah, but only because they are far more common.

 _Going forward, making the combustible engine and hybrids more efficient will
do magnitudes more to curb carbon emissions than all-electric vehicles._

Only if you operate under the assumption that electric vehicle usage won't
become more common.

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joshuamerrill
I was there today. The emotion was shared and felt by everyone in the room.
I'm not a lawyer, but it seems like this could ultimately become a serious
free speech issue.

Edit: I ask a very dry question at the 45 minute mark. I'm pretty easy to spot
because I'm wearing Google Glass.

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pavs
Not to sound mean (and people usually say that when they know that they could
come out as mean), but for some reason that reminded me of people who walks
around with bluetooth headset and talking to themselves, surrounded by a lot
of people.

Its just me though.

Otherwise your question was interesting and unpredictable, almost all the
other questions were something I would have thought about asking. You know the
usual stuff.

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babby
Couldnt help but think "Wouldn't mind seeing his Glass video feed" though.

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krosaen
Start at minute 49 to see the full context - it's about fighting the
automotive dealers association for the right to sell directly to consumers.

~~~
mmaunder
Thanks, agreed, crappy title. The insight he provides into the auto industry
in those few minutes is awesome. It explains why I've consistently had a crap
experience buying cars over the years (they don't make any money selling them)
and why car service costs so much in the USA.

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flinty
Yeah. This planet money podcast covers the same issues in a bit more detail
[http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/02/12/171814201/episode-...](http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/02/12/171814201/episode-435-why-
buying-a-car-is-so-awful)

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macmac
The passion fuelling that emotion is going to put people on Mars, crush GM and
take you from SF to LA in 25 mins.

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tocomment
My standing question for that is wouldn't a launch loop have to be located
over the ocean, at least say 10 miles out? And then wouldn't it take much
longer 25 minutes to take a boat trip out, take the trip and then take a boat
trip back in at your destination?

Edit: On second thought if you're spending launch loop kind of money maybe
building a 10 mile bridge out to the station isn't that big of a cost?

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simonh
From what he's said publicly, I don't see how it can be a launch loop or
anything much like it.

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tocomment
From the last discussion [1] I thought launch loop was our best guess?

How does a launch loop conflict with anything he's said publicly?

[1] <https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5796880>

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simonh
He's said that any loss of power or stability would result in a safe failure
mode. I can't see how that fits in with a thousand kilometre long looping
supersonic cable in the sky.

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csomar
The point Elon is raising is important. Dealerships (or middlemen) that we can
exist without are lowering our $ purchase power. Sure, it's a small amount.
But think about it in the long run, and at larger scales.

It just happens that Elon faced this problem now. That's why he's speaking,
and it's good that's he's willing to fight them.

There is lot of sh*t going around. Like government not doing their job. It's
time people are aware of their rights and speak out. It's these tiny wins that
are going to make the change in the future.

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judofyr
Original title: "Minute 53, very emotional moment by Elon Musk"

(In case a mod comes and renames this story)

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sgt
Somehow this seems a bit wrong though - to open this link, skip to minute 53,
simply to "see an emotional moment", then close the browser.

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tome
You can watch other parts of the video if you like!

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dhx
Around minute 25 there appears to be a very awkward waiting-for-the-Steve-
Jobs-applause moment after Elon explains the updated navigation system. A few
more announcements are made without applause and then finally, just before the
31 minute mark, applause is finally handed out when the launch date of the
Model X is announced. I hope Elon didn't feel disappointed with himself or the
audience. Applause is cheap. The questions that followed demonstrated audience
buy-in more than any amount of applause could ever achieve.

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trevmckendrick
He's a great salesman. You don't even realize you're being sold.

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luke_s
I remember hearing a quote somewhere about Elon Musk. To paraphrase: Make sure
you don't have any money in your pockets when you meet him, because by the end
of the meeting you will have given it to him.

But seriously, I think 'being sold' has somewhat of a negative connotation -
it implies that Elon is putting on an act to try and convince you buy
something you otherwise might not. I think what Elon in fact does is just
present a vision that he very much believes in and can make happen. I think
that is why is is so effective - he is not trying to 'sell'. Hes just talking
about what he believes in.

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olalonde
I had no idea there was actually a written law that prevented auto
manufacturers to sell directly to consumers. What is this law supposed to
achieve exactly?

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rubinelli
Officially, to make sure customers have a dealership close by where they can
have their cars properly serviced without delays or long trips. In practice,
to protect dealers with fat margins and terrible commercial practices.

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zerohm
I'm pretty sure licensed dealerships barely break even on new car sales. They
make their money on maintenance and used car sales.

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fduran
From what I remember from a few years ago (quotation needed or the loan part
may have changed), they make a few hundred dollars on new cars, bigger margins
on second hand cars and about 40-50% of their income from car loans.

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Mikeb85
Some of the comments here amaze me. Many (most?) countries have business
development banks, that give out loans to entrepreneurs... It's confusing why
a loan given to a start-up car company is such a scandal.

Those who understand capitalism know that entrepreneurship is the main driving
force behind economic growth, as well as innovation, job creation, and most
other positives that capitalism brings...

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confluence
He does that. Musk almost lost it in his 60 minutes interview when asked why
Neil Armstrong (a hero of his) was actively against what both he and SpaceX
stood for.

Personally, if I were told on national TV that my personal hero hated what I
was doing, I'd be pretty negatively affected as well.

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loup-vaillant
> _If Democracy was working properly, and the legislators were implementing
> the will of the people, something else would be happening._

This time, this ain't coming from Noam Chomnsky.

