Peter Giannaris

Caitlin Geoghan and Prof. Olga Torres

FIQWS 10113 Med 3

Dec 20, 2019

Elon Musk and Breaking the Norm

In “Constructing Normalcy” by Lennard J. Davis the idea of normal people is discussed. Davis talks about how society has created a standard for normal, and those that are different tend to be attacked. Elon Musk is one of the world’s greatest entrepreneurs because he is the most unconventional entrepreneur and CEO in the world. He is not like other CEOs in that he is very bold in his statements, actions, has an enormous resume, and welcomes failure. Elon Musk is a non-conformist, and this has led to him being attacked and ridiculed by many people. In “Constructing Normalcy” the idea that norms are created by society, and non-conformists are punished directly applies to Elon Musk as he continually is is attacked and ridiculed by people as he bucks the norm and is unconventional in how he conducts his business’s.

 

Lennard Davis discusses how norms have been created by society and are ideal, Elon Musk does not follow the notion of norms and it shows in how he conducts himself and his business. Davis stated “With such thinking, the average then becomes paradoxically a kind of ideal, a position devoutly to be wished” (Davis, 12). This means that those that are “normal” are seen as attractive and desired as opposed to those that are different. In the modern era there is a “model” in place as to how every CEO should act and Elon Musk bucks that trend. Most CEO’s are tasked with running a single company and making it profitable, so their products must generate a high profit margin by minimizing production costs and raising retail costs. CEO’s are tasked with performing these tasks while competing with its competitors for more business. The first way that Elon Musk breaks the norm is that he is very different from other CEOs in that he is heavily involved in the operations of a handful of major companies or projects as he has founded PayPal, SpaceX, Tesla Motors, SolarCity, The Boring Company, Neuralink, and Hyperloop. “Normal” CEOs will oversee one company, but Musk is able to balance multiple companies and still be successful. Elon stated “There were times when I didn’t leave the factory for three or four days- when I didn’t go outside- this has really come at the expense of seeing my kids. And seeing friends,” it is evident that his focus on his work is second to none (Loudenback). He was at his factory in order to help boost production of the model 3 the first electric car for the masses. He did this as he was already a successful billionaire and put his passion for saving the environment in front of his social life. He has also stated how he works 80 to 120 hours a week, but in “a study published in June by Harvard Business Review found CEOs worked an average of 62.5 hours a week” (Clifford). This shows how he is different from normal CEOs in that he works much harder in order to be successful. But, the most unconventional thing that Elon Musk has done is gotten rid of Tesla patents and stated that “Tesla will not initiate patent lawsuits against anyone who, in good faith, wants to use our technology” (Musk). This is not a move that any other CEO would make, as Elon Musk does not care as much about making money as saving the Earth. The patents were open-sourced in order to help jumpstart the world’s transition to electric cars that are better and cleaner for the environment. Elon Musk is someone that genuinely cares and wants to make the world a better place.

 

The Davis text states that non-conformists are outsiders and are punished, this is extended by Elon Musk as the things that make him special are the things that have caused greater problems for him. Davis states that “Deviance from the norm can be identified and indeed criminalized,” exemplifying that those that are different can and will be punished (Davis). Elon Musk is a non-conformist who tends to have overly ambitious goals, and overpromises and underachieves which leads to him be faced with mountains of criticism. According to Giles Parkinson “Musk, and Tesla, threaten to disrupt not one, but three trillion-dollar industries and turn them upside down – auto, electricity, and transport fuels” (Giles). Musk is a young leader in multiple industries that have been established for over a hundred years in America, and it will lead to criticism. Musk stands out with his ambitious ideas for example making the electric car more popular then a gas car. Leaders of established car companies that manufacture gas cars ridicule him as they do not want Musk to succeed and enter their industry as a competitor, as his cars deviate from the norm and take away from their business. Elon Musk is the type of person that when he makes a promise, he will keep eventually fulfill it. But this optimistic view that many other CEOs and companies avoid is frowned upon as Elon is criticized for “overpromising and under delivering.” But this also ties into his notion of inviting failure. Elon welcomes failure as it will allow him to grow as a person or company and will lead to innovation. Elon Musk once stated, “If things are not failing you are not innovating” (Satara) This is different from normal business approaches as people want things to work perfectly right away. Musk’s deviance and affinity for failure has allowed him to become extremely successful, and his continual failure will allow him to spark even greater change that will impact the world. But, when Elon Musk does fail the media, investors, and politicians all join in to ridicule him, showing that deviance from the norm will lead to harsh criticism as people look at the norm as good. No matter what idea or project Musk takes on there is someone ready to denounce him, as society sees outliers as bad. Elon Musk’s difference and drive to change the world is what makes him special and different from others, allowing him to create change.

 

Elon Musk as viewed through “Constructing Normalcy” is a deviant person who is not seen as normal in society. Musk is a trend setter as he does very unconventional things that usually further his success but may also turn around and attack him. Elon Musk being different is what makes him successful and is what will allow him to change the world as he transitions the world to sustainable transportation and brings the first humans to Mars.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Work Cited

Cat, Clifford. “Elon Musk: ‘You’re Gonna Go a Little Bonkers If You Work 120 Hours a Week’.” CNBC, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2018, https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/05/elon-musk-on-working-120-hours-a-week-youll-go-bonkers.html.

Davis, Lennard.“Constructing Normalcy.” Enforcing Normalcy: Disability, Deafness, and the Body , , Nota, 2016, pp. 9–26.

Giles. “Why so Many People Are so Desperate for Tesla and Musk to Fail.” RenewEconomy, 1 June 2018, https://reneweconomy.com.au/why-so-many-people-are-so-desperate-for-tesla-and-musk-to-fail-93953/.

Loudenback, Tanza. “Elon Musk Is Worth about $22 Billion and Has Never Taken a Paycheck from Tesla – Here’s How the Notorious Workaholic and Father of 5 Makes and Spends His Fortune.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 28 June 2019, https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-elon-musk-net-worth-2017-10.

Musk, Elon. “All Our Patent Are Belong To You.” Tesla, Inc, 26 July 2019, https://www.tesla.com/blog/all-our-patent-are-belong-you.

Satara, Alyssa. “Elon Musk Says That Key to Success Is Failure, Here’s Why:” Medium, Noteworthy – The Journal Blog, 19 Aug. 2019, https://blog.usejournal.com/elon-musk-says-that-key-to-success-is-failure-heres-why-b5a455e26825.