

Lifestyle
Elon Musk is a one stop, pop culture to STEM recruiting shop, and that’s a good thing
WARNING
This column will be unabashedly full of pop culture references in honor of its topic. Check out the end of the piece for a Where’s Waldo-style treasure hunt to identify where they are. And by that I mean like the list at the back of the book. Or the companion list on the main pages under the scene descriptions. No, definitely more like the back of the book.
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You may have noticed that Elon Musk has something of a cult following. (awkward pause for audience laughter)
Seriously, though. Have you ever wondered how the nerdy PayPal guy whose epidermis was showing a bit much became not just the purveyor of cool tech, but a standard of cool to which all others within similar realms are measured? Personally, I’ve become so accustomed to that reality that I forget there was a time when rockets couldn’t land themselves and $TSLAQ wasn’t a thing.
Speaking of cults, those guys should hand in their soda machine rings and retire already, no?
In my opinion, Elon Musk’s overall fusion of popular culture with both his businesses and public persona gives him a unique resonance with people – their resonance. And that’s a good thing when considering all the places he’s trying to take humanity.
As the “pop culture” chief executive, he clearly communicates how leading the ship of change is much more than just walking to the front and declaring himself king. He has to pitch the ship, show the blueprint, obtain the funding for construction, find the contractors, build it, employ people to run it, then campaign for customers, sell the tickets, and finally, sail the ship full of normal people, movie stars, a skipper, millionaires, their spouses, professors, and possibly someone named Mary Ann, all without crashing.
By the way, when I say “culture” I mean memes, movie quotes, cartoon references, sci-fi tributes, and Twitter conversations. Let’s assume my knowledge of philosophy pretty much begins and ends with Dr. Ellie Sattler’s outlook as conveyed to Jeff Goldblum.
Terms & conditions for “Not-a-Flamethrower”
Please use as directed to avoid unintentionally burning things down. For simple & concise instructions, we drew upon wisdom in great Dr Seuss book “Green Eggs and Ham”. #ThrowFlamesResponsibly pic.twitter.com/kgj8W8EOLJ
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 9, 2018
There are a lot of technical languages needed to understand the many parts of Musk’s multifaceted journey, but there’s one language that unites them all – inspiration. This is where Musk’s immersion in pop culture comes in. He knows how to derive action plans from inspirational concepts because they inspire him, too. I think this is all an amazing benefit for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) recruiting and mainstream STEM interest.
It’s easy to get lost in the woods of what Musk is trying to accomplish if you’re not careful, and that drives people to learn more so they understand. Electric cars have things like production lines, battery chemistry, the electrical nuances of Superchargers, and business logistics; SpaceX is literally rocket science, meaning things like materials engineering, chemistry, and orbital mechanics are the blue Yoshis for Reddit cred; The Boring Company involves machinery details and political maneuvering, among other things; and Neuralink would benefit from Neuralink for a non-scientist’s true understanding of how Neuralink works.
As a layperson looking at these things, I’m surprised by what I’m willing to research just to keep up with what Musk is doing, and I’m probably a fraction of a percent informed compared to the average Musk enthusiast. Anecdotally, I think that happens because he communicates his ideas using ‘big picture’ type expressions like flying cars and great dining on a trip to Mars, which makes them relatable, relevant, and exciting. And tying it all together is the fact that he’s almost always going to do what he says he’s going to do plus more.
I mean, I’m sure Jeff Bezos is going to do all the things he’s said he’ll do with Blue Origin, but maybe what matters is less about how big your rocket is and more about how you plan to use it. The Saturn V was awe-inspiring not just because it was huge and powerful and the first of its kind. It was representing a human journey to a new frontier, and it brought a symbolic victory against an adversary that threatened the freedom of everything it touched. Falcon Heavy is awe-inspiring because of both its engineering and its role in the democratization of space travel. Starship is awe-inspiring because its first and primary purpose is to establish a human presence on another planet.
Bezos, on the other hand, has conquered human patience for the most part with Amazon and wants to give the ultra rich the ride of their life with Blue Origin. A $250,000 ticket to the Karman line for like 5 minutes of floating around in view of the Earth’s curvature is not exactly an everyday person thing. Good for those who can afford it, but not very inspiring for those who can never afford it. He’s also said things like, we’ll go to Mars “because it’s cool,” which is ironically not cool and gives the impression that he has a roommate named Patrick. SpaceX certainly has a “cool” factor, but people aren’t buying company mugs that say “Cool new hangout” across a picture of Mars when they’re filled with hot coffee.
Wow, I never knew trig would make its way into my writing…
For a specific example of Musk’s pop culture conversion to STEM interest I’m talking about, take The Boring Company. The whole venture started with a rant about traffic, was named such because it was a funny double entendre, and then was made even more amusing with Monty Python tie-ins and flamethrower merchandise inspired by Space Balls. Using pop culture, Elon Musk brought genuine, mainstream interest to the subject of public transportation logistics, no Rowan North required to give it a little extra spark.
This sort of public attention thing happens when big achievements or problems come up, sure. But there’s this one guy that keeps inspiring kids to go study STEM topics so they can work for his companies; this one guy keeps inspiring adults to start their own STEM ventures based on the ideas he’s promoting; this one guy keeps all of us thinking about what he’s doing and whether it’s going to work while admitting that, even if we have our doubts about whether it’s all feasible, it probably should work and we should maybe help it work.
Altogether, Elon Musk is a one-stop pop culture to STEM recruiting shop, and I think that’s a really good thing.
What do you think of Musk’s pop culture infusions into everything he does? Have any favorites? Any you wish weren’t a thing?
TREASURE HUNT
Find the following pop culture references in this column!
1. Bart Simpson breaks his leg
2. Homer Simpson joins a secret society
3. Titanic
4. Gilligan’s Island
5. Jurassic Park
6. Super Mario Brothers for Super Nintendo
7. Austin Powers: Goldmember
8. Spongebob Squarepants
9. Sine, Cosine, Tangent…
10. Ghostbusters 2016
Lifestyle
Tesla Cybertruck takes a bump from epic failing Dodge Charger
The Cybertruck seemed unharmed by the charging Charger.

There comes a time in a driver’s life when one is faced with one’s limitations. For the driver of a Dodge Charger, this time came when he lost control and crashed into a Tesla Cybertruck–an absolute epic fail.
A video of the rather unfortunate incident was shared on the r/TeslaLounge subreddit.
Charging Charger Fails
As could be seen in the video, which was posted on the subreddit by Model Y owner u/Hammer_of_something, a group of teens in a Dodge Charger decided to do some burnouts at a Tesla Supercharger. Unfortunately, the driver of the Charger failed in his burnout or donut attempt, resulting in the mopar sedan going over a curb and bumping a charging Cybertruck.
Ironically, the Dodge Charger seemed to have been parked at a Supercharger stall before its driver decided to perform the failed stunt. This suggests that the vehicle was likely ICE-ing a charging stall before it had its epic fail moment. Amusingly enough, the subreddit member noted that the Cybertruck did not seem like it took any damage at all despite its bump. The Charger, however, seemed like it ran into some trouble after crashing into the truck.
Alleged Aftermath
As per the the r/TeslaLounge subreddit member, the Cybertruck owner came rushing out to his vehicle after the Dodge Charger crashed into it. The Model Y owner then sent over the full video of the incident, which clearly showed the Charger attempting a burnout, failing, and bumping into the Cybertruck. The Cybertruck owner likely appreciated the video, in part because it showed the driver of the Dodge Charger absolutely freaking out after the incident.
The Cybertruck is not an impregnable vehicle, but it can take bumps pretty well thanks to its thick stainless steel body. Based on this video, it appears that the Cybertruck can even take bumps from a charging Charger, all while chilling and charging at a Supercharger. As for the teens in the Dodge, they likely had to provide a long explanation to authorities after the incident, since the cops were called to the location.
Lifestyle
Anti-Elon Musk group crushes Tesla Model 3 with Sherman tank–with unexpected results
Ironically enough, the group’s video ended up highlighting something very positive for Tesla.

Anti-Elon Musk protesters and critics tend to show their disdain for the CEO in various ways, but a recent video from political action group Led By Donkeys definitely takes the cake when it comes to creativity.
Ironially enough, the group’s video also ended up highlighting something very positive for Tesla.
Tank vs. Tesla
In its video, Led By Donkeys featured Ken Turner, a 98-year-old veteran who served in the British army during World War II. The veteran stated that Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, is “using his immense power to support the far-right in Europe, and his money comes from Tesla cars.”
He also noted that he had a message for the Tesla CEO: “We’ve crushed fascism before and we’ll crush it again.” To emphasize his point, the veteran proceeded to drive a Sherman tank over a blue Tesla Model 3 sedan, which, of course, had a plate that read “Fascism.”
The heavy tank crushed the Model 3’s glass roof and windows, much to the delight of Led By Donkeys’ commenters on its official YouTube channel. But at the end of it all, the aftermath of the anti-Elon Musk demonstration ended up showcasing something positive for the electric vehicle maker.
Tesla Model 3 Tanks the Tank?
As could be seen from the wreckage of the Tesla Model 3 after its Sherman encounter, only the glass roof and windows of the all-electric sedan were crushed. Looking at the wreckage of the Model 3, it seemed like its doors could still be opened, and everything on its lower section looked intact.
Considering that a standard M4 Sherman weighs about 66,800 to 84,000 pounds, the Model 3 actually weathered the tank’s assault really well. Granted, the vehicle’s suspension height before the political action group’s demonstration suggests that the Model 3’s high voltage battery had been removed beforehand. But even if it hadn’t been taken off, it seemed like the vehicle’s battery would have survived the heavy ordeal without much incident.
This was highlighted in comments from users on social media platform X, many of whom noted that a person in the Model 3 could very well have survived the ordeal with the Sherman. And that, ultimately, just speaks to the safety of Tesla’s vehicles. There is a reason why Teslas consistently rank among the safest cars on the road, after all.
Lifestyle
Tesla Model 3 driver is using FSD to travel to Mt. Everest Base Camp
The ambitious, nearly 4,000-kilometer (2,485-mile) Tesla FSD journey is being livestreamed on Chinese social media.

Count on Tesla drivers in China to push Full Self Driving (FSD) as far as it could go. As could be seen in videos posted on Chinese social media, a brave Model 3 owner is currently going on an epic journey from Henan Province to the base camp of Mt. Everest on FSD.
Recent posts from the Model 3 driver suggest that the ambitious destination may be within reach.
Epic FSD Journey
As noted by Tesla owner-enthusiast Aaron Li, the journey from Henan Province to the base camp of Mt. Everest spans almost 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles). The journey itself is epic, with stunning vistas and roads that require some drivers to bring oxygen canisters with them. The fact that it is being done using FSD makes it extra impressive.
Based on the videos that have been recently shared, the Model 3 running FSD seems to be nearing the Everest Base Camp. There seems to be a good chance that the Tesla Model 3 may reach its destination this Friday.
Previous Everest Trips
This is not the first time that a Tesla has driven to Mt. Everest’s base camp. That would be a Model 3 that was driven in September 2020. That vehicle, which went on a long 5,500 km (3,400-mile) journey, was manually driven to its destination.
In April 2021, Tesla China announced that it has completed the buildout of 11 Supercharger stations in the picturesque route from Chengdu to Tingri. This route would allow drivers to reach the base camp of Mt. Everest. Sure enough, in July 2022, Tesla China shared a video of two Teslas—a Model X and Model Y—reaching the Everest base camp without any issues. Numerous other Tesla drivers have since taken on the long, picturesque journey.
Check out this Tesla Model Y’s journey to the Mt. Everest base camp in the video below.
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