Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur, has dismissed what he calls “wrong-headed economic thinking” by suggesting there is “infinite potential” for creating jobs and businesses. Musk’s critique centers on the fallacy of a “fixed pie” in economics, where the assumption is that economic resources are limited and must be divided among the population.
In a post on X, Musk stated, “The ‘fixed pie’ fallacy is at the heart of much wrong-headed economic thinking. There is essentially infinite potential for job and company creation. Think of all the things that didn’t exist 20 or 30 years ago!”
His comments were in response to entrepreneur Joe Lonsdale’s mention of Sriram Krishnan, who has been tapped by President-elect Trump for a role in the upcoming administration. Krishnan had previously advocated for lifting the cap on green cards to unlock skilled immigration, a policy that aligns with Musk’s vision for expanding economic opportunities.
Musk’s perspective challenges the traditional economic theories which often emphasize scarcity and competition for existing resources rather than the creation of new opportunities. His argument suggests that innovation and entrepreneurship can break the mold of traditional economic constraints, fostering an environment where new jobs and businesses can be created without being limited by current market conditions.
This viewpoint was further highlighted when Musk discussed the need for merit-based immigration policies. Krishnan himself has supported skills-based criteria for green card allocation, emphasizing that the best talent should be attracted to the U.S. regardless of their country of origin. Musk’s support for such policies aligns with his belief in an economy where growth is not zero-sum but can be expansive, driven by human ingenuity and innovation.
Musk’s comments also resonate with his involvement in multiple industries where he has not only created jobs but also significantly transformed sectors like automotive, aerospace, and now social media through his various ventures like Tesla, SpaceX, and X. His approach underscores a belief in an economy where new sectors can emerge, offering new employment opportunities.
By challenging the notion of a static economic pie, Musk advocates for a dynamic economic model where growth is perpetually possible through technological advancement and entrepreneurial ventures. This perspective has sparked discussions among economists, policymakers, and the public on how to view economic development and job creation in a rapidly changing global landscape.
Article generated from corporate media reports.
From the Editor: The Double Slipper Slopes
On the surface, this infinitely inclusive rhetoric sounds appealing. It removes limits to the potential for prosperity and who wouldn’t want that?
Well, actually, a lot of people wouldn’t want it for many reasons and greed isn’t one of them. This sounds very close to embracing the notion of Modern Monetary Theory in which money is uncapped and therefore even more worthless than the fiat monetary system we have in place today. And while Musk does not openly promote and would likely never overtly embrace the destructive theory, it’s an inescapable conclusion if policies were to enable his vision.
To be clear, I’m not suggesting that Musk is trying to bring about the destruction of our economy through Modern Monetary Theory any more than I would suggest that he’s calling for open borders with his idea of allowing uncapped “skilled” immigration, but both are inevitable if his ideas were to manifest in large scale.
There’s about a 90% chance that these particular ideas are simply fanciful whimsy with no attempts at practical application. Then again, there’s a small chance that he’s setting us up for the fall by being a covert shill for the Globalist Elite Cabal.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
I respect Mr. Musk for his engineering prowess, his ability to assemble groups of intelligent people to attain success, his forward thinking, ingenuity and optimism, but his support for AI and robotics scares the hell out of me, I don’t like the idea of rushing headlong into the future, being led by people with avant garde philosophy, but have questionable morals in this regard, they are forcing change toward their lofty goals but never seem to consider the repercussions or the unforeseen consequences of their endeavors, they always highlight the potential glorious outcomes of their ideas but it seems that the negative or destructive side effects are never mentioned, or only briefly, and personally I do not wish to be ruled by super smart robots who have no spiritual guidance or understanding, in the end these are machines, and they cannot be programmed with any spirit or soul, this is all an artificial pipe dream and these things can easily have devastating and horrible consequences for the human race and for other life forms on this planet, it is happening at an ever increasing pace, and to me, all of this super modern technology is erasing forever what it means to be truly human, made in God’s image, and so I will remain opposed to all of this pie in the sky bullshit until someone, such as Mr. Musk, can give me one good reason why I should not. So far all he has done is to promote a half-baked, false optimism that is bereft of any existential guardrails or caution, he wants his fantasy world to become reality and as such, he comes off as an arrogant atheist who could care less about people who sincerely believe that God put us here for a reason, there is a reason for hardship and doing things the old fashioned way, not everything needs to change in order to satisfy these technocrats with their maniacal dreams, there should be resistance to this scale of societal change, it is reasonable to question it, and right now the objections and concerns of very good, honest people that care about the future of humanity and what we were actually put here for, and why we exist, are being wholly overlooked and set aside, because of the fantastically over-embellished proclamations of these technocrats who pride themselves on their intellectual prowess, but have no internal conscience or off button, or constraints when it comes to the effects of their plans on the deep spirituality of Man, or on the universe and life that God created naturally, it is as if they consider themselves gods and want to out-create the supernatural, and to me, this is what makes them inconsiderate and maniacal, I do not trust any of these technocrats, and I believe humanity is in great peril, as not one of these supposedly super intelligent people have given any indication that they are even remotely religious, or even remotely care what spiritually minded individuals may think about all of this. For this reason, I stand opposed to this digital super-science and AI until convinced otherwise. And it will be a cold day in Hell before they ever talk me into it, right now they aren’t even bothering to try.