Hubris Maximus: The Shattering of Elon Musk

This is a well-researched book that isn't vague about the business empire that Musk has built. It demonstrates--with verifiable accounts--how Musk (who is bright) is his own worst enemy. Musk's inability to take in information and understand that, despite his fine brain, he may not know everything. But the most interesting is the accounting of all litigation and the proof that Musk consistently does the following: Lies to his customers, to his investors, and to his employees. He also exaggerates his accomplishments and blows them up into wonders of the universe! For example, you will understand that Tesla did not develop self-driving cars. Tesla did develop co-driving cars and Musk can take credit for the boost in driver-assistance technology, but that technology is old. Tesla applied it to modern cars. DARPA developed unmanned ground vehicles decades ago, and there's not much light between those approaches and today's approaches. The purchase of Twitter is a fascinating tale that defeated Musk gloriously. That flawed business deal may--yet--underpin a downfall from his crest as the "richest man in the world." The numbers become quite clear, and that acquisition fiasco is the reason he is in a bind with a cash flow problem. He has "value" (tied to Tesla) and much less cash. Musk could have gone down a great path, but his imperfect set of psychological drivers put him on autopilot down the wrong path.

This book is complete trash.

A precise and important tale of a man who is dangerous and brilliant at the same time. The author skillfully narrates a man who lacks any empathy for others and in fact treats everyone he meets as discardable.. yet his belief in himself will eventually be his collapse.

Faiz Siddiqi's book is the product of a journalist willing to double click on Elon Musk. While so many in the media have given Elon a pass and accepted the narrative of a competent genius and successful businessman, Siddiqi unpacks the arc of Elon's descent into what may be madness or simply the luck of a fool running out. Extremely well-sourced, Siddiqi brings recent events into focus, not sparing the reader from the cringe and stupidity of the world's richest man.

"There is a large graveyard filled with my enemies." —Elon Musk. p8Pre-Read notesYikes. Look at that opening quotation and tell me it doesn't make you feel something. For me, it instills wariness and distrust. Who talks about their enemies like this except for people who are completely preoccupied with their enemies? I refuse to play armchair psychologist here, but being obsessed with real or perceived enemies is disordered thinking.I had to read this for the same reason I read about the current species die-offs, pollution, wars and conflict, climate change and natural disasters, and pretty much everything else we manage to politicize in the U.S.-- books are the only delivery systems of such misery that I can tolerate. So here we go. I'm about to read about the man who is dismantling this country's social services and already making it extremely hard for me to get treatment and medication. (I'm disabled, which is one of the most politicized existences one can possess.) I don't expect this to be a pleasant read. *edit It wasn't.Final ReviewI have long admired Faiz Siddiqui's journalism so I was really excited to read this one. Musk is an interesting figure still, despite being polarizing. I had requested the book before he started working in the government in January, so I now have little tolerance for this subject, due to the fact that he is impossible to escape.After reading as much of this book as I have, I'm worried some 💩head will dox me. But I still want to share what I've gained from just the little bit that I read. For sure, Musk's thinking is completely disordered in so many of the stories included here. My guess? He needs some sleep. But until he gets some, his absurd wealth will protect him from ever having to act like he's not the only person living here.So if I can leave you with anything, it's this: Elon Musk is tripping.I recommend this book to fans or critics of Elon Musk, or fans or critics of long form journalism.Review summary and recommendationsReading NotesTwo things I loved:1. The promise felt big: Tesla’s mission is “to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.” Wasn’t that more important than a few pesky societal norms? p11 No, it's not, because people who deride the rules don't recognize the importance of the public good. They are driven only by their own selfish whims. Speaking once about the nearly four-hundred-foot SpaceX rocket he hopes will take humans to Mars, he said: “I can’t say for sure that Starship will reach escape velocity, but my hubris certainly has.” p14 I mean here he expresses his lack of concern for astronauts' survival in service to his self-proclaimed hubris. This is one unpredictable dude.2. I have liked Siddiqui's journalism for a long time, used to watch him on CNN. This book contains the professionalism I've come to expect from him. He has a lot of not nice things to say about his subject, but he isn't bashing or even insulting him.Three quibbles:1. By the time he was pulling public stunts like erecting a giant, pulsing X logo in the middle of San Francisco to signify Twitter’s rebrand— directing “rave levels of brightness,” as one person put it to me, into residential high-rises (including an apartment complex of senior and low-income residents and people with disabilities)—no one expected him to face any real consequences. p151This is section is basically going to be a huge collection of evidence that Musk doesn't give a 💩 about anyone or anything.2. Among Washington officials, Cummings’s story is a cautionary tale of what can happen when one dares to mention Tesla or Musk, whose legions of online fans are extremely sensitive to the slightest hint of criticism. Musk’s tweets to those groups serve to fan the flames, providing a set of marching orders . Today, so many with strong opinions on Musk refrain from expressing them outright for fear of disturbing the hornet’s nest and inviting an online swarm of vitriol turbocharged by Musk’s megaphone. p33 Elon Musk only cares about Elon Musk.3. Tesla was effectively handcuffing its future to one man, turning a publicly traded company into an automotive fiefdom. p38 Elon Musk cares only about his own pocket.Notes1. Siddiqui was so brave to take on this project, honestly. I have the utmost respect for him.Rating: 💰💰💰💰 /5 men above the lawRecommend? yes, if you're more patient than I amFinished: May 3, '25Format: accessible digital arc, NetgalleyThank you to the author Faiz Siddiqui, publishers St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of HUBRIS MAXIMUS. All views are mine.--------------