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Why Elon Musk is my role model?

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 //This post was a part of my 2022 Application for The Knowledge Society for its Global Virtual Program 

Who inspires you the most?


I first heard of Elon Musk when I heard that he had become the richest person in the world. Though it was quite an achievement, it did not inspire me enough to regard him as my role model. As I started to know more about him through the internet, what got me hooked was that he built SpaceX because he felt that humanity should be an interplanetary species. He had grown up reading science fiction comics and novels that stressed that it was one’s duty to save the world. It was a childish notion yet backed by logic and determination, he has turned it into a reality.  I realized that my childhood hobby of recycling paper to make papier-mâché dolls was perhaps not so amateurish. I could bring my creative talent to turn waste into something beautiful. It could be my contribution to reduce piling waste and undo the damages of climate change.


Elon Musk invested in SolarCity and worked on developing a model so that electrical cars could be affordable and easily charged through Tesla. Throughout his life he has worked on projects for the sole reason that he regarded them as important. 


With fundamental concepts of physics ingrained in his mind, he is able to tackle the most complex of engineering problems. Reading his method of learning which is to strengthen the basic logical concepts reassures me that I am on the right path when I linger on even on the most basic of questions in Science and Philosophy. I do not feel impatient when I keep on working on my understanding of core concepts while my peers move on to a different set of problems. He has taught me that once the fundamentals are firmly set, it becomes easier to analyze situations by stripping the circumstances to first principles.


His fundamental knowledge has helped him to innovate in the space, automobile and technology industry and through Neuralink, he aims to provide brain-computer interfaces which are at the intersection of neuroscience and computer programming. His multifaceted interests gave me courage to explore my own varied curiosities which range from programming to writing and sketching. In India, I had to choose between the Natural Sciences (Biology) and Mathematics in grade 11. It put me under a dilemma for I was curious about the mechanisms in the natural world. I felt that they could become an inspiration making algorithms to replicate natural processes. Elon Musk’s relentless pursuits of his interests and transferring the logical skills he gained from learning physics to other industries taught me that if I strengthen my fundamental concepts in science, I could use those skills to analyze and critically think about a wide range of problems.


The strength of Elon Musk’s intellect and his reliance on personal values has inspired me to become confident in my insight and inquiry. Learning about him has pushed me to use my knowledge and skills to solve problems in my life, whether it is choosing a career or making the right study schedule. It has prevented me from getting sucked into the endless competition that surrounds students of my age to secure the best college and has diverted my attention to pursuing my interests. 


He has taught me to think independently and for that reason, he is my true role model.



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