The 32 most outrageous things Elon Musk has said (TSLA)

By: Business Insider

October 19, 2018 at 10:27 AM EDT

Chris Carlson/AP Photo

Most CEOs tend to choose their words carefully, fearing the consequences of saying anything that could be deemed controversial.
But Elon Musk is not nearly as cautious, sometimes appearing to speak his mind and deal with the consequences later.
The CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and The Boring Company has inspired intense devotion and attracted controversy as a result of his public statements.
How Musk handles himself in the future will determine, in part, how effective of a leader he is as his companies move from upstarts to established players in highly competitive industries.

Most CEOs tend to choose their words carefully, fearing the consequences of saying anything that could be deemed controversial. For better and for worse, Elon Musk is not nearly as cautious.

The CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and The Boring Company sometimes appears to prefer speaking his mind and dealing with the consequences later, like when he mocks his critics or opens up about his personal life. Musk's candor has endeared him to the fans and customers who find him more relatable than other famous executives, while also frustrating some analysts and investors who argue that he is temperamental and reckless.

The intense devotion and criticism Musk has provoked with both public and private statements have contributed to his status as one of the most scrutinized figures in American culture. This year, Musk's remarks have more often tended to get himself in trouble, hurting Tesla's stock price, spurring investigations from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Department of Justice, and attracting lawsuits from investors. How Musk handles himself in the future will determine, in part, how effective of a leader he is as his companies move from upstarts to established players in highly competitive industries.

Below are 32 quotes that illustrate why Musk attracts so much attention.

"Seems like an opportune moment to bring up the Fermi Paradox, aka 'where are the aliens?' Really odd that we see no sign of them."Mike Windle/Getty Images

In 2015, Musk said on Twitter that it was strange humans have yet to see evidence of aliens. He later said Egyptian pyramids were not evidence of aliens visiting Earth.

"Btw, please don't mention the pyramids. Stacking stone blocks is not evidence of an advanced civilization," he said. "The ancient Egyptians were amazing, but if aliens built the pyramids, they would've left behind a computer or something."

Source: Twitter

"If there was a way that I could not eat, so I could work more, I would not eat. I wish there was a way to get nutrients without sitting down for a meal."Rashid Umar Abbasi / Reuters

In Ashlee Vance's 2015 biography of Musk,"Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future," Christie Nicholson, who met Musk in college, said Musk told her he wished he didn't have to eat so he could carve out more time for work.

Source: The Washington Post

"My mentality is that of a samurai. I would rather commit seppuku than fail."AP Photo/Paul Sakuma

This quote is also from Vance's book, though Musk has disputed it. According to Vance, Musk said this when speaking with an investor.

Source: The Washington Post

"I would tell those people they will get to see their families a lot when we go bankrupt."Max Whittaker / Getty Images

Former Tesla employee Ryan Popple told Vance that Musk said this during Tesla's early years after an employee said their jobs were too demanding.

Source: The Washington Post

"My family fears that the Russians will assassinate me."Max Whittaker / Getty Images

Musk told Vance that his rocket-building and space exploration company, SpaceX, had created enemies that may wish him harm.

Source:The Washington Post, Page Six

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