Can We Stop Calling Elon Musk (and other billionaires) a Genius?

Having lots of money does not mean having exceptional skill or character

I follow lots of business and marketing accounts. They often share stories about successful entrepreneurs and industry leaders.

Many of those stories are inspiring and motivating, but these days, if someone points to Elon Musk as a positive example in business or life it’s basically an automatic unfollow.

Their celebration of Musk signals they either don’t know how he’s using social media to spread hateful ideas or they don’t care.

The issue is not the public’s perception of a single billionaire. The problem is the way we, as a society, attribute intelligence, skill, and leadership ability to people just because they have a lot of money.

Whether in business, politics, or even in church life, we grant wealthy people a measure of influence that often outpaces their character and maturity.

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