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Elon Musk’s Twitter Break is something we could all learn from

Photo: Boss Hunting.com.au

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We are a month into 2021, and I wanted to switch things up a little bit and get away from the technical jargon of Tesla talk and move onto something a little lighter-hearted. Earlier this week, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that he was taking a break from Twitter, and it inspired me to write a piece that wasn’t so focused on automotive development or batteries, and instead on something that it reminded me of.

Now, before I begin, I realize Musk holds a lot more responsibilities than I do. He is the CEO of several companies, he has a large platform, he has hecklers and botherers of proportions I cannot (and don’t want to) begin to imagine. The guy is under a microscope with every move, and I think it is perfectly reasonable that he took a break from social media, even if it was only for a few days.

It reminded me of how last Summer, I decided to take a break from social media. The only thing I kept was Twitter, and it was only for work. I deleted Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook, and I found it extremely refreshing. I decided that it was time to do a little bit of self-reflection, and instead of finding things through my phone for entertainment, I decided to do a slight dopamine detox and challenge myself to fight “boredom” in my spare time, and I found the effects to be very advantageous for my mental and physical health.

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As a 26-year-old, I am at the heart of social media. I can remember when MySpace was a thing in my high school years, I can reflect back on opening up my first Facebook account. I even have a few Twitter accounts that still exist from the early days when I was figuring out the platform. Now, I’m a bit older than I was then, but I have slowly found myself finding the toxicity of social media to be more evident than I have in previous years. It is full of hypocrisy, hatred, criticism, and false glamour that many people simply do not have the time for. While it is used by basically everyone on Earth with an internet connection, it doesn’t mean it is great to be on constantly, and I must think that Elon, the guy who probably has more mental strength than most people, even needs to take a break and focus on himself every once in a while.

With that being said, I think there are a plethora of things that really went through my head when he announced his short-lived break. First off, I know I never want to be in the position he is in. I think about the lack of privacy he must have, and also how his critic base is likely as large as his support system. Unfortunately, there are people who find him to be unappealing, which is something I just don’t understand. However, I do know that even as someone in a position with such wealth and power, he has to feel that sometimes, social media is simply too much for even him to handle.


This is a preview from our weekly newsletter. Each week I go ‘Beyond the News’ and handcraft a special edition that includes my thoughts on the biggest stories, why it matters, and how it could impact the future.


I tried to take this lesson to heart earlier this week, and I realized that it is important to take a step back from who we are in our professional lives, and simply be human every once in a while. Many of us are lost in the daily grind of our careers. I know that, personally, I find myself up at night wondering how I can be a better writer. How can I break that big story? How can I make Teslarati a better outlet for news than it already is? These are questions I think anyone who gives a damn would ask themselves, with respect to their own careers. It is the kind of mindset my parents instilled in me as a child: Hard work and dedication pays the bills. You can be whoever you want to be if you set your mind to it, and I always told myself that I would be a journalist eventually, I just didn’t know when. Luckily, I got the shot when I was 24, and I’ll never look back.

As we all live in a world full of the latest and greatest technology, many of the readers of this newsletter owning perhaps the greatest piece of technology in our world right now, it is hard to get away from what we all use and love. It is hard, and it is understandable to think about life without it. But when is the last time you took a step back from everything and examined your life and how you are living? Take a step back from your work, your connection to so many others through the internet, and examine your serenity and how you feel without it. It will probably be refreshing.

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Many of us are not under the level of stress that a Tesla CEO feels, and many of us will never feel that stress. But it doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a break. It doesn’t mean that you don’t deserve to set your phone down for a few days and just be by yourself with your own thoughts.

The last few nights, I have been reading “As A Man Thinketh,” by James Allen, a book I read several times a year. A few lines of it really inspired me to write this newsletter, and I want to share those lines with you all. The lines reminded me of Elon’s reflection on the 2017 “production hell” episode of Model 3 manufacturing, and how the critics are still vocal and plentiful. While Elon admits there are times where buying a Tesla vehicle is not favorable to the consumer, he is still doing his best to solve these issues.

“The thoughtless, the ignorant, and the indolent, seeing only the apparent effects of things and not the things themselves, talk of luck, of fortune, and chance. Seeing a man grow rich, they say, ‘How lucky he is!’ Observing another become intellectual, they exclaim, ‘How highly favored he is!’ And noting the saintly character and wide influence of another, they remark, ‘How chance aids him at every turn!’ They do not see the trials and failures and struggles which these men have voluntarily encountered in order to gain their experience; they have no knowledge of the sacrifices they have made, of the undaunted efforts they have put forth, of the faith they have exercised, that they might overcome the apparently insurmountable, and realize the vision of their heart. They do not know the darkness and the heartaches; they only see the light and joy, and call it ‘luck.’ They do not see the long and arduous journey, but only behold the pleasant goal, and call it ‘good fortune,’ do not understand the process, but only perceive the result, and call it chance. In all human affairs there are efforts, and there are results, and the strength of the effort is the measure of the result. Chance is not. Gifts, powers, material, intellectual, and spiritual possessions are the fruits of effort; they are thoughts completed, objects accomplished, visions realized. The vision that you glorify in your mind, the ideal that you enthrone in your heart–this you will build your life by, this you will become.”

So with this, I want to say, grind while you can, but take breaks when the time is right. You have this one life, so don’t get lost in your work. Enjoy the good times. The work we put in brings us the fruits of life, but make sure that you take the time to enjoy those fruits.

They won’t be ripe forever.

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A big thanks to our long-time supporters and new subscribers! Thank you.

I use this newsletter to share my thoughts on what is going on in the Tesla world. If you want to talk to me directly, you can email me or reach me on Twitter. I don’t bite, be sure to reach out!

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

Lifestyle

EV fans urge Tesla to acquire Unplugged Performance for edge in fleet and security industry

Unplugged Performance has built a name for itself by producing performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles.

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Credit: Unplugged Performance

A growing number of Tesla enthusiasts and longtime community voices are calling on the electric vehicle maker to acquire Unplugged Performance, a California-based aftermarket company best known for tuning Tesla vehicles and developing specialized government fleet solutions under its UP.FIT division.

The idea was once considered a niche proposal among EV fans, but it is now gaining serious attention not just as a performance play but as a strategic move to deepen Tesla’s roots in the fleet and security industry. 

A strategic fit

Unplugged Performance has built a name for itself by producing performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles, from track-optimized components to visual and aerodynamic upgrades. But in recent years, its UP.FIT division has pivoted toward a more functional future by outfitting Tesla vehicles like Model Ys for police, military, and government use.

That work has sparked growing calls for closer collaboration with Tesla, especially as the EV maker increasingly leans into autonomy, AI, and fleet services as core components of its next chapter.

“I posted this four years ago, but I think it’s more true now than ever,” wrote Whole Mars Catalog, a well-known Tesla investor and FSD Beta tester, on X. “Tesla should buy Unplugged. But not just as a Performance division. What they are doing with UP.FIT unlocks large government and commercial fleet purchases that can improve utilization.”

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Tesla fans such as shareholder Sawyer Merritt echoed the sentiment, calling Unplugged a “great fit within Tesla.” adding, “They are literally located directly next to Tesla’s design studio in Hawthorne.”

Enabling the next wave

Supporters of the idea noted that integrating Unplugged into Tesla’s corporate structure could help accelerate the adoption of autonomous technologies in government sectors. With UP.FIT patrol cars already in use across some U.S. police departments, Tesla fans envisioned a future where self-driving Teslas could potentially revolutionize law enforcement, search-and-rescue, and public service logistics.

“Just imagine how autonomous patrol cars could transform policing and bring us into a safer future,” the veteran FSD tester wrote.

The benefits could also extend to Tesla’s existing consumer base. “They also have some incredible products in the works that I think will appeal to many ordinary Tesla drivers — not just those looking for performance or mods. Stuff that’s so good it should have come straight from the design studio next door,” Whole Mars Catalog noted.

Unplugged Performance, founded in 2013, shares not just a product vision with Tesla, but also geography. Its Hawthorne headquarters sits directly adjacent to Tesla’s design studio, and the two companies have maintained a close working relationship over the years. The aftermarket firm has long positioned itself as a “mission-aligned” partner to Tesla.

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In response to the recent calls for acquisition, Unplugged Performance acknowledged the support from the community. “Our very existence is to support the Tesla mission with @UpfitTesla and @UnpluggedTesla,” Unplugged CEO Ben Schaffer posted on X. “We love working with Tesla and are grateful for the community’s support since 2013!”

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Elon Musk

X account with 184 followers inadvertently saves US space program amid Musk-Trump row

Needless to say, the X user has far more than 184 followers today after his level-headed feat.

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Joel Kowsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

An X user with 184 followers has become the unlikely hero of the United States’ space program by effectively de-escalating a row between SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump on social media.

Needless to say, the X user has far more than 184 followers today after his level-headed feat.

A Near Fall

During Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s fallout last week, the U.S. President stated in a post on Truth Social that a good way for the United States government to save money would be to terminate subsidies and contracts from the CEO’s companies. Musk responded to Trump’s post by stating that SpaceX will start decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately. 

Musk’s comment was received with shock among the space community, partly because the U.S. space program is currently reliant on SpaceX to send supplies and astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). Without Dragon, the United States will likely have to utilize Russia’s Soyuz for the same services—at a significantly higher price.

X User to the Rescue

It was evident among X users that Musk’s comments about Dragon being decommissioned were posted while emotions were high. It was then no surprise that an X account with 184 followers, @Fab25june, commented on Musk’s post, urging the CEO to rethink his decision. “This is a shame this back and forth. You are both better than this. Cool off and take a step back for a couple days,” the X user wrote in a reply.

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Much to the social media platform’s surprise, Musk responded to the user. Even more surprising, the CEO stated that SpaceX would not be decommissioning Dragon after all. “Good advice. Ok, we won’t decommission Dragon,” Musk wrote in a post on X.

Not Planned, But Welcomed

The X user’s comment and Musk’s response were received extremely well by social media users, many of whom noted that @Fab25june’s X comment effectively saved the U.S. space program. In a follow-up comment, the X user, who has over 9,100 followers as of writing, stated that he did not really plan on being a mediator between Musk and Trump. 

“Elon Musk replied to me. Somehow, I became the accidental peace broker between two billionaires. I didn’t plan this. I was just being me. Two great minds can do wonders. Sometimes, all it takes is a breather. Grateful for every like, DM, and new follow. Life’s weird. The internet’s weirder. Let’s ride. (Manifesting peace… and maybe a Model Y.)” the X user wrote.

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Lifestyle

Tesla Cybertruck takes a bump from epic failing Dodge Charger

The Cybertruck seemed unharmed by the charging Charger.

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Credit: Hammer_of_something/Reddit

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.

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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.

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