In 2022, Elon Musk bought Twitter for $44 billion, and renamed it X. When asked why he wanted to own the social media network, Musk talked a lot about something he called the “woke mind virus.” Where does the idea of a mind virus come from? Jill Lepore looks to Cold War science fiction and the recently uncovered writings of Elon Musk’s grandfather in South Africa.

In 2022, Elon Musk bought Twitter for $44 billion, and renamed it X. When asked why he wanted to own the social media network, Musk talked a lot about something he called the &ldquo;woke mind virus.&rdquo; Where does the idea of a mind virus come from? Jill Lepore looks to Cold War science fiction and the recently uncovered writings of Elon Musk&rsquo;s grandfather in South Africa.

The story of Elon Musk, the way it's often told, makes him sound like a fictional character, a comic-book superhero – or, especially lately, a supervillain. As the world's richest man, the US President’s right-hand man, and the owner of X, he’s possibly the world’s most powerful man. 

Musk wants to build robots and colonise Mars and appears to be dismantling sizable parts of the US government. His vision of the future seems to stem from the science fiction that has fueled his imagination since he was a boy. But what's the real story, the true history, behind Musk’s sense of destiny? 

Back in 2021 Harvard history professor and New Yorker writer Jill Lepore became fascinated by this question. So she made a podcast that tried to explain Musk through the science fiction he grew up with. A lot has happened in the four years since. So she’s gone back in to bring the story up to date.

“X Man: The Elon Musk Origin Story” is a production of the BBC and distributed by Pushkin Industries.

The story of Elon Musk, the way it's often told, makes him sound like a fictional character, a comic-book superhero &ndash; or, especially lately, a supervillain. As the world's richest man, the US President&rsquo;s right-hand man, and the owner of X, he&rsquo;s possibly the world&rsquo;s most powerful man.&nbsp;
Musk wants to build robots and colonise Mars and appears to be dismantling sizable parts of the US government. His vision of the future seems to stem from the science fiction that has fueled his imagination since he was a boy. But what's the real story, the true history, behind Musk&rsquo;s sense of destiny?&nbsp;
Back in 2021 Harvard history professor and New Yorker writer Jill Lepore became fascinated by this question. So she made a podcast that tried to explain Musk through the science fiction he grew up with. A lot has happened in the four years since. So she&rsquo;s gone back in to bring the story up to date.
&ldquo;X Man: The Elon Musk Origin Story&rdquo; is a production of the BBC and distributed by Pushkin Industries.

X Man: The Elon Musk Origin Story

Episode 7: Body Snatchers

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/1d1c170b-ed7f-459f-a064-b2ae0106095a/transcript

Elon Musk has claimed that AI is humanity’s “biggest existential threat.” Paradoxically, Musk is also working to create artificial intelligence. Why? Jill Lepore tours through a century of imagined robot rebellions, and argues that these stories are never only about robots. So what’s Elon Musk really afraid of when he wrings his hands over AI? In this final episode, Lepore argues that while Musk may be a visionary, “every piece of Muskism has origins in a future foretold in science fiction, long, long ago, as a cautionary tale.”

Elon Musk has claimed that AI is humanity&rsquo;s &ldquo;biggest existential threat.&rdquo; Paradoxically, Musk is also working to create artificial intelligence. Why? Jill Lepore tours through a century of imagined robot rebellions, and argues that these stories are never only about robots. So what&rsquo;s Elon Musk really afraid of when he wrings his hands over AI? In this final episode, Lepore argues that while Musk may be a visionary, &ldquo;every piece of Muskism has origins in a future foretold in science fiction, long, long ago, as a cautionary tale.&rdquo;

Episode 8: The Terminator

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/670d6350-987b-4abd-bd20-b2ae01098bd1/transcript

The science fiction that Silicon Valley techno-billionaires like Elon Musk adore concerns gleaming futures in which fantastically powerful, immensely rich men colonize other planets. In this episode, Jill Lepore looks at some of the science fiction that’s usually left out of this vision — science fiction by and about women.

The science fiction that Silicon Valley techno-billionaires like Elon Musk adore concerns gleaming futures in which fantastically powerful, immensely rich men colonize other planets. In this episode, Jill Lepore looks at some of the science fiction that&rsquo;s usually left out of this vision &mdash; science fiction by and about women.

Episode 6: Baby X

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/cea7c0bb-d0c4-48fe-8427-b2ad012387e3/transcript

In 2021, Elon Musk started calling himself The Dogefather to signal his support for Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency based on a joke meme about a dog. That dog is now wagging the tail of the world’s economy. In this episode, Jill Lepore looks at Silicon Valley's cryptocurrency craze through the lens of some very old science fiction. Like everything else about Muskism that purports to be futuristic, this idea is a relic, whose history serves as a warning.

In 2021, Elon Musk started calling himself The Dogefather to signal his support for Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency based on a joke meme about a dog. That dog is now wagging the tail of the world&rsquo;s economy. In this episode, Jill Lepore looks at Silicon Valley's cryptocurrency craze through the lens of some very old science fiction. Like everything else about Muskism that purports to be futuristic, this idea is a relic, whose history serves as a warning.

Episode 5: The Dogefather

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/a72fb262-1679-492e-ad0e-b2ad011962c3/transcript

Episode 7: Body Snatchers

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X Man: The Elon Musk Origin Story

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