Ronan Farrow just dropped a massive expose on Elon Musk that paints an alarming portrait of a man who’s doing far more than just running Twitter into the ground. In fact, that’s easily the least concerning move for Musk’s empire that reportedly has considerable sway over the U.S. government.
According to Farrow, both SpaceX and Tesla have received deferential treatment from the Department of Defense and regulatory bodies thanks to Musk’s company dominating the fields of space technology and electric vehicles, respectively. Essentially, Musk has been able to operate with very little to zero oversight, which is concerning in light of allegations that he’s significantly ramped up his ketamine usage.
Earlier in the summer, The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk was using the drug to treat depression and at parties. According to Farrow, that use has concerned associates.
Via The New Yorker:
Associates suggested that Musk’s use has escalated in recent years, and that the drug, alongside his isolation and his increasingly embattled relationship with the press, might contribute to his tendency to make chaotic and impulsive statements and decisions. Amit Anand, a leading ketamine researcher, told me that it can contribute to unpredictable behavior. “A little bit of ketamine has an effect similar to alcohol. It can cause disinhibition, where you do and say things you otherwise would not,” he said.
Anand later told Farrow, “You can feel grandiose and like you have special powers or special talents. People do impulsive things, they could do inadvisable things at work. The impact depends on the kind of work. For a librarian, there’s less risk. If you’re a pilot, it can cause big problems.”
While Musk’s impulsive business decisions appear to be contained to Twitter, at the moment, Farrow also reported that Musk has the ability to cut off the Ukraine army’s communications thanks to their reliance on Starlink, a satellite network run by SpaceX. In fact, Musk already threatened to revoke Ukraine’s access after revealing to defense officials that he personally spoke to Vladimir Putin.
According to Farrow, Musk and the Pentagon reached an agreement to secure Starlink’s use by Ukraine. The conditions of that agreement were not revealed.
(Via The New Yorker)