Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a daily column that runs on Page 1 of The Asahi Shimbun.
November 4, 2022 at 11:42 JST
Elon Musk speaks at the Satellite Conference and Exhibition on March 9, 2020, in Washington. (AP file photo)
Elon Musk, who bought Twitter, had a favorite job interview question for applicants, according to Ashlee Vance, author of “Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future.”
It went: “You’re standing on the surface of the earth. You walk one mile south, one mile west and one mile north. You end up exactly where you started. Where are you?”
Most candidates with a background in engineering were able to correctly answer: “The North Pole.”
But Musk, 51, would keep pushing them for other answers to see their reactions. He was apparently more interested in determining their personality traits, namely, if they were go-getters who hated losing and would do everything they could to solve challenging problems.
A veritable innovator who has succeeded in the electric vehicle, space development and other cutting-edge fields of business, Musk is also an enigma.
An engineer and a dreamer, he is said to be the richest man in the world, but his sometimes recklessly aggressive investments land him in financial hot water. He also remains completely unrepentant even when his highly provocative statements cause firestorms on social media.
Describing himself as a “free-speech absolutist,” Musk was dissatisfied with Twitter for monitoring tweets to keep hate speech off the platform.
Upon purchasing this U.S. communications company for $44 billion (6.5 trillion yen), he effectively fired all nine of its top executives and installed himself as the new CEO.
My concern now is what Musk intends to do about former U.S. President Donald Trump’s Twitter account.
Twitter permanently banned Trump after his supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol building. Should Trump’s account be reinstated, that may signify the removal of all controls on social media posts that encourage vile discrimination and violence.
In fact, such posts that test the limits of tolerance have markedly increased on the platform of late.
Musk’s enterprises are said to have high employee turnover rates because of excessive demands made on workers, yet young people keep seeking employment with him.
Will Musk be able to hire the workers he wants and show the world his unique take on finding solutions?
--The Asahi Shimbun, Nov. 4
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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
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