Although I’ve written some negative posts about Elon Musk recently – which I stand by – he does have some good traits. He says some stupid things but also some good things. For example he argued with the “Executive Director for the UN World Food Programme” today on Twitter.
Musk, responding to a news headline saying 2% of his wealth would solve world hunger:
If WFP can describe on this Twitter thread exactly how $6B will solve world hunger, I will sell Tesla stock right now and do it.
This reminded me of my belief that Aubrey de Grey should actually write out a detailed budget of how SENS would spend the billions of dollars he keeps asking for. I suspect AdG can’t convince Musk, Bezos and others to do a huge donation because he doesn’t actually have a good enough plan.
The Director replied saying headline was inaccurate but $6B would do tons of good and he still wants Musk to donate. Musk replies:
Please publish your current & proposed spending in detail so people can see exactly where money goes.
Sunlight is a wonderful thing.
Director replies refusing to do that without admitting he’s refusing:
.@elonmusk Instead of tweets, allow me to show you. We can meet anywhere—Earth or space—but I suggest in the field where you can see @WFP’s people, processes and yes, technology, at work. I will bring the plan, and open books.
Musk also asked this and got no response:
What happened here? UN officials 'force children to perform oral sex for food' in warzones | World | News | Express.co.uk
(That article is even worse than the headline makes it sound.)
Fame, social status and wealth doesn’t get you Paths Forward. (Nor does a news article mean anyone answers an issue.) Elon Musk can’t get meaningful responses from a UN director who is asking for billions of dollars from Musk.