What’s his endgame?

My deal old mudder thinks he wants funding so he can build a spaceship and return to Mars, his home planet.

The cynicism inherent in this question really is something else. What is his endgame? Why is he doing what he’s doing? What does he get out of it?

As if there can be no other reason for doing something than naked, unadulterated self-interest. As if his every action is intended purely to satiate some appetite of his, rather than because he has a deep conviction that some things must be done, even if that requires personal sacrifice.

I grant you, everyone is motivated by self-interest, but here’s the thing the confirmed cynics are missing: that can be enlighted self-interest, and that is something that goes beyond the purely selfish. Musk is incurring a lot of hate and criticism, and taken financial and personal risks (if the Democrats had won the election), but consider that he may sincerely believe that the course in which the current administration and its party have been taking the country will be ruinous in the long term (and I would agree), and that since he is in a position to do something about it, he has a certain moral obligation to do so, for the sake of a country he loves, and more directly, for the sake of his children and eventual grandchildren who have to live in that country.

Install himself as the head of a power dynasty along side the other ruling families that already control the world.

Be the man who shepherds mankind into space.

Ultimately transcend into an artificial intelligence super entity who we may come to worship as a God forever more.

usual scifi stuff. it's happening, whether it's him or others. he's taking his stab at it.

Talk about a conflict of interest..

He's almost universally hated by the sorts of people who let the MSM do their thinking for them.

He sincerely wants what he thinks is the best for mankind, and freedom of speech is essential. It seems a lot of the liberals on X can't hack it if people can say pretty much what they want, so they ran to BlueSky, an X knock-off for people who can't handle being treated like they used to treat us conservatives. They'll go over there and cry for awhile, then come back. There's no fun to be had in an echo chamber. Well, unless you're an emotional midget.

As for that going to Mars thing, good for him. He's got the money. But people would just bring their problems with them, so even if he could colonize Mars, it wouldn't benefit mankind in the long run. He's brilliant, but about things like rockets.

Oh -- he was thinking about creating a phone to compete with Apple's iPhone. It would be secure and wouldn't spy on you. I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

He has Asberger's, which accounts for his erratic behavior.

Immortal life on Mars in an android body.