We're not entirely sure of Neil deGrasse Tyson's choice of words.
"Elon Musk is similar to a modern day Thomas Edison?" In an interview with the celebrity website, Tyson said. He wants big. I don't think all of his dreams are realistic, but he is dreaming big.
Tyson seems to mean this in a serious way. In his attempt to praise the space and electric car mogul, Tyson may have delivered a backhanded compliment.
Musk might dislike this comparison because he loves patents. Musk believes that patents are for the weak while Edison believed in the power of patents. The famous inventor applied for a patent every 11 days over the course of his life.
The fact that he was a widely alleged jerk is also present. He was accused of stealing work from students and publishing it under his own name, as well as being an occasional dog murderer.
We don't think Tyson is accusing Musk of being any of those things.
There are many similarities between the two. Both Musk and Edison were known for their extreme work schedules and fervent followings.
Both preferred a perfect model over a raw invention. The guy who invented the lightbulb was not really the creator of incandescence. He was able to expand on it and make it more popular. The world's first electric car was not built by Musk. Musk has rebuilt technologies and even industries in his image, using a new lacquer of marketing language.
This probably isn't the way Tyson is trying to communicate. It's probably a possibility.
I'm all for moving forward. I'm for people to see a world that they can invent. Science brings you a better world where people are happy and safe.
The New Yorker has a story about the real nature of Thomas Edison's genius.
Neil Degrasse Tyson has some serious beef with the man.
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