10 votes

First space, then auto—now Elon Musk quietly tinkers with education

21 comments

  1. [6]
    sublime_aenima
    Link
    And here we are in public schools begging for funding for these subjects because research shows that they help children learn skills and develop resources needed for better building other skills...

    LA’s most exclusive school sits on SpaceX’s campus and skips sports, music, and languages

    And here we are in public schools begging for funding for these subjects because research shows that they help children learn skills and develop resources needed for better building other skills such as critical thinking and problem solving. This wreaks of Musk not liking these subjects so he mistakenly discards them. Science and engineering are not for everyone and forcing young impressionable children to think that they must be in STEM could be pretty shitty for those kids.

    30 votes
    1. [2]
      rodya
      Link Parent
      Musk and his capitalist friends aren't interested in educating people, they just want to turn out better workers. They literally don't have a use for you if you're not in some sort of STEM...

      Musk and his capitalist friends aren't interested in educating people, they just want to turn out better workers. They literally don't have a use for you if you're not in some sort of STEM capacity, in fact educating people in the humanities and arts is harmful to them because it makes it less likely people will fall for their bullshit labor practices.

      5 votes
      1. PapaNachos
        Link Parent
        Strictly speaking, this school won't help workers. This is for training capitalists.

        Strictly speaking, this school won't help workers. This is for training capitalists.

        2 votes
    2. [2]
      Neverland
      Link Parent
      I’m pretty much an Elon fan man, and yet I agree with you. I really hope this is just incomplete reporting.

      I’m pretty much an Elon fan man, and yet I agree with you. I really hope this is just incomplete reporting.

      4 votes
      1. Gaywallet
        Link Parent
        They may be specifically selecting children who are interested in science and not in the excluded studies.

        the children of select SpaceX employees

        They may be specifically selecting children who are interested in science and not in the excluded studies.

    3. Greg
      Link Parent
      The optimistic view would be that given such a small and exclusive group, it may well just be taken as a given that the kids are doing all those things with private tutors and/or as free-time...

      The optimistic view would be that given such a small and exclusive group, it may well just be taken as a given that the kids are doing all those things with private tutors and/or as free-time activities anyway. The article says that it isn't (currently) meant as a template for education everywhere, but a very specific school specifically for these 50 students.

      There also seems to be a fairly strong focus on politics, public speaking, and ethics - all of which would serve to round out the narrower band of STEM subjects. It isn't perfectly broad - it shows a definite skew towards things that are considered "practical" for potential future leaders in a capitalist, entrepreneurial environment - but I get the impression that it's not as constrained as that strapline implies.

      2 votes
  2. [6]
    PogChamp
    Link
    Is there anywhere on the internet that is safe from Tech-Jesus?

    Is there anywhere on the internet that is safe from Tech-Jesus?

    10 votes
    1. [2]
      Eylrid
      Link Parent
      If something isn't your cup of tea, filter the tag and move on.

      If something isn't your cup of tea, filter the tag and move on.

      7 votes
      1. annadane
        Link Parent
        I know you didn't necessarily intend the triple pun but that was fantastic.

        I know you didn't necessarily intend the triple pun but that was fantastic.

        7 votes
    2. [3]
      DMonitor
      Link Parent
      Like him or not, he’s making huge waves in multiple fields. He’s not just hype, he legitimately makes headlines.

      Like him or not, he’s making huge waves in multiple fields. He’s not just hype, he legitimately makes headlines.

      4 votes
      1. [2]
        PogChamp
        Link Parent
        Tesla, SpaceX, SolarCity are all slowly drifting towards the brink of insolvency. But you don't see those headlines for some reason.

        Tesla, SpaceX, SolarCity are all slowly drifting towards the brink of insolvency. But you don't see those headlines for some reason.

        8 votes
        1. Noxium
          Link Parent
          Do you happen to have a source for this claim? Cause this is definitely all news to me Not to fanboy here, but people have literally been saying this since day one and yet here they still are,...

          Do you happen to have a source for this claim? Cause this is definitely all news to me

          Tesla

          Not to fanboy here, but people have literally been saying this since day one and yet here they still are, producing and selling more cars then ever, expanding their market, and bringing new innovations to the field while the shorts are in a serious state of crises

          SolarCity

          Kind of yea, that's why Tesla bought them out (I was never a fan of that deal but whatever)

          SpaceX

          This is the first I've heard of heard of this, exactly who is making SpaceX insolvent? Boeing and ULA who have been launching the same rockets for the past 50 years? The Senator Launch System that will break records in inefficiencies? Or do you actually believe BO is a serious competitor. I'm not sure how they're becoming insolvent when in the past week SpaceX literally just received another contract from the air force for more flights on the FH, before they've even had their first launch. Not to mention in a few months they'll literally be America's only ride to the ISS, and they're presently the only organization that (legitimately) plans to get humans to Mars in the near future, so I'm not sure exactly who you think is going to overtake them.

          There's legitimate criticisms to be made about some of Musks practices and future plans, but it seems like people see his name and immediately get outraged for no other reason then... he's different I guess? And there's never any numbers or figures to go along with the outrage, just criticisms of his personality and how he treats his workers (which is valid, but he's not committing legitimate human rights violations like Jobs or Bezos, but that news magically never makes the headlines)

          3 votes
  3. [7]
    vexacia
    Link
    Good thing this grifter's operations are going to be bankrupt before he can sneak his way into schooling.

    Good thing this grifter's operations are going to be bankrupt before he can sneak his way into schooling.

    8 votes
    1. [6]
      EngiNerd
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      How exactly is he a grifter? SpaceX actually launches satellites, cargo, and soon crew. (20% of 2017's global launch volume, more than any other launch provider) Tesla actually makes cars, home...

      How exactly is he a grifter?

      SpaceX actually launches satellites, cargo, and soon crew. (20% of 2017's global launch volume, more than any other launch provider)

      Tesla actually makes cars, home battery packs, and grid sized battery packs.

      Solar City actually makes solar panels and soon solar shingles.

      SpaceX was founded in 2002, Tesla was founded in 2003, and Solar City was founded in 2006.

      Grift: a group of methods for obtaining money falsely through the use of swindles, frauds, dishonest gambling, etc.

      He must be a shitty grifter considering he's been with his companies for over 10+ years and each of the companies produce the products they say the will.

      7 votes
      1. [4]
        rodya
        Link Parent
        Elon Musk doesn't do any of those things, the workers do. All Elon Musk brings to the table is a cult of personality.

        Elon Musk doesn't do any of those things, the workers do. All Elon Musk brings to the table is a cult of personality.

        7 votes
        1. jgb
          Link Parent
          This is a ridiculous argument. Are you implying that no product that has ever been produced in a factory is at least in part testament to the inventor or originator's ability?

          This is a ridiculous argument. Are you implying that no product that has ever been produced in a factory is at least in part testament to the inventor or originator's ability?

          3 votes
        2. sublime_aenima
          Link Parent
          To be fair, that cult of personality helps bring in funding, a supply of eager workers, and helps put these technologies in the minds of more people

          To be fair, that cult of personality helps bring in funding, a supply of eager workers, and helps put these technologies in the minds of more people

          2 votes
      2. userexec
        Link Parent
        They're probably looking at the amount of subsidies and tax incentives his businesses get for building factories in particular places and creating products that the government has chosen to...

        They're probably looking at the amount of subsidies and tax incentives his businesses get for building factories in particular places and creating products that the government has chosen to incentivize. I've never understood how that makes him a grifter when the people who say that are usually the same who are giddy about tax breaks and incentives where any other corporation is concerned. My suspicion is that deep down it's because he makes solar panels and electric cars, and those are "liberal" things--real men burn coal and drive V8s and reject change. I'd be interested to hear why that's incorrect.

        4 votes
  4. Eylrid
    Link
    Elon Musk started a primary school to turn his sons, the children of a few SpaceX employees and a few high achievers in the area into the next generation of high powered tech entrepreneurs. Housed...

    Elon Musk started a primary school to turn his sons, the children of a few SpaceX employees and a few high achievers in the area into the next generation of high powered tech entrepreneurs. Housed in the SpaceX headquarters, Ad Astra does away with the rigidity of traditional schooling in favor of an open, project based style similar to a start up. Among other things, students build robots and flamethrowers, debate and simulate world politics, and give TED style talks in front of audiences of hundreds of adults.

    4 votes
  5. MimicSquid
    Link
    This sounds like a tech-focused Montessori school. Interesting, and I'm sure it's a coup to get your kid in with the nouveau riche, but not revolutionary even if it survives Musk's interest in his...

    This sounds like a tech-focused Montessori school. Interesting, and I'm sure it's a coup to get your kid in with the nouveau riche, but not revolutionary even if it survives Musk's interest in his own kid's schooling.

    3 votes