> I've become completely disenchanted with Elon Musk over time.
There's your problem: being enchanted in the first place. The tech world likes to build these epic hagiographies of people who never asked for them and then huff when reality—inevitably—fails to keep up with the myth.
Flawed human accomplishes great things is the story of most of history's pioneers.
> The tech world likes to build these epic hagiographies of people who never asked for them
This is not true. These people, by the very nature of their positions as chiefs of well-known organizations, have to maintain near untarnished super-human public perceptions (at least to the people that support their organization/company/ideals). They ask for it by accepting the position in the first place. You don't think Elon has a PR team?
It's good advice to not let one's self to become enchanted with these sort of figures, but don't act surprised when other people fall for it. All those people wouldn't have their jobs if it wasn't effective.
> They ask for it by accepting the position in the first place.
The spotlight is thrust upon them, that's true. However I think equating leading tech figure with righteous human being is something we take as axiomatic. It may often be true, but don't be crestfallen when it's sometimes not.
Plus the scale tips over the course of one's career. Bill Gates spent decades crushing the competition before he took upon the task of eradicating disease.
There's your problem: being enchanted in the first place. The tech world likes to build these epic hagiographies of people who never asked for them and then huff when reality—inevitably—fails to keep up with the myth.
Flawed human accomplishes great things is the story of most of history's pioneers.