Elon Musk is an important figure in many of our lives — shaping the futures of automobiles, social media and the space industry. As a society, we hang on to his every statement, whether we find them insightful or outlandish. Together his companies employ hundreds of thousands of people and are worth billions of dollars. He's omnipresent, whether we like it or not. But few places are as directly affected by him as Brownsville, Texas, which sits close by SpaceX's Starship facilities. The space company, founded and led by Musk, has a clear goal of one day sending people to Mars, and it's building and testing the Starship rocket to accomplish this feat. In his recent essay for Times Opinion, Christopher Hooks shows how the proximity of these testing grounds to Brownsville revitalized the struggling city in recent years. But it has also forced the community into Musk's orbit, turning Brownsville into something of a company town for SpaceX. Musk's presence and influence are felt everywhere. He is now an intertwined part of Brownsville's commerce, politics and culture — to both the delight and the chagrin of many residents. This is just a microcosm of what we may expect to see in the modern era. Billionaires' innovations may change our lives in vast ways and, in the case of companies like SpaceX, take us to the stars. But as Hooks shows us, through the lens of Brownsville, there's a cost we must pay, in which we suddenly feel that these innovations and ventures are not really societal endeavors; they are pet projects led by a select few with very tight grips. We might be along for the ride, but we're not going to call the shots, even if the ride may crash and burn. For the past few months, I have been thinking a lot about Frank Herbert's "Dune" novels, especially in the wake of the latest film adaptation. One of the larger themes of the series is, arguably, about the perils of following messianic figures to lead us to something better — whether it's idyllic peace and happiness, wealth and power, successful adventure or merely the next step in something greater ahead. Trusting in a leader to take you to the promised land may really be a risky bet.
Try Living in Elon Musk's Company TownTo some, Elon Musk has given Brownsville, Texas, a reason for being, a future. To others, he's a colonizer, flirting with white nationalists online while exploiting a predominantly brown work force. By Christopher Hooks
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Tuesday, May 28, 2024
Opinion Today: Elon Musk and the price we pay to live among billionaires
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