logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2021
1h 3m

Jill Lepore on Elon Musk's imaginary wor...

Vox
About this episode

Sean Illing talks with historian Jill Lepore about her new podcast: The Evening Rocket explores Elon Musk and the new form of extravagant, extreme capitalism — which Lepore dubs "Muskism" — that he has ushered in. They discuss the formative role played by science fiction stories, why the super-wealthy are drawn to space travel, and why, according to Lepore, Elon Musk is not much of a futurist after all.

Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), Interviews Writer, Vox

Guest: Jill Lepore, podcast host; professor, Harvard University

References: 


Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Conversations ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Conversations by subscribing in your favorite podcast app.

Support Vox Conversations by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts

This episode was made by: 

  • Producer: Erikk Geannikis
  • Editor: Amy Drozdowska
  • Engineer: Paul Robert Mounsey
  • Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall
  • Vox Audio Fellow: Victoria Dominguez

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Up next
Jun 30
If AI can do your classwork, why go to college?
What’s the point of college if no one’s actually doing the work? It’s not a rhetorical question. In the age of AI, it's incredibly easy for students to offload their assignments. AI tools can write essays, make study guides, and even complete whole assignments. So what is the poi ... Show More
59m 21s
Jun 16
Is Trump winning?
We’re nearly six months into Donald Trump’s second term as president, and a lot of us are still trying to figure out what that actually means. Not just politically. But culturally. What kind of country are we living in? And what kind of future are we heading toward? In today’s ep ... Show More
52m 31s
Jun 9
A right-wing economist makes his case
For decades, the American right has stayed on brand: the economy. Low taxes. Free markets. Deregulation. Those have been the buzzwords for more than half a century. But that doctrine is now being challenged by other conservatives who envision a future in which America’s trade def ... Show More
1h 8m
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2022
Crafting the narrative of Elon Musk
The saga around Elon Musk's deal to buy Twitter has been just that: a months-long soap opera involving lawsuits and subpoenas, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, even a town hall. But why does Musk — one of the world's richest and arguably most influential men — want wi ... Show More
24m 37s
Feb 2022
EVENING ROCKET: Decoding Elon Musk’s Sci-Fi Visions of the Future
When it comes to Elon Musk, it can be hard to separate the man from the myth. But in her new podcast, “The Evening Rocket,” Harvard historian and New Yorker writer Jill Lepore manages to see through Musk’s mystique, explain his worldview, and decipher his visions of the future by ... Show More
1h 6m
Sep 2023
Elon Musk: Somebody That I Used to Know
This Labor Day, we are re airing a fan-favorite episode about, who else, Elon Musk and Kara Swisher. Nayeema interviews Kara — who’s covered Musk since the late 90s. We’ll unpack how Elon became Elon, why Kara came to believe he was one of the greatest visionaries in Silicon Vall ... Show More
1h 4m
Jan 2023
Elon Musk : enfance, amours et démesure
Quand il était enfant, il pensait que tout le monde était comme lui. Le jour où Elon Musk s’est rendu compte qu’il était plus intelligent que les autres : c’est quand il a réalisé que la plupart des gens ne savaient pas comment fonctionnait un interrupteur. Ce qu’il se passait de ... Show More
42m 10s
Feb 2024
Elon Musk accumule les ennuis
2024 a mal commencé pour Elon Musk. Fin janvier, son plan de rémunération XXL conclu en 2018 chez Tesla a été invalidé par une juge du Delaware où l’entreprise est domiciliée. Bilan : une perte de 56 milliards de dollars pour le milliardaire qui fait également face à de nombreux ... Show More
16m 21s
Apr 2022
What’s on Elon Musk’s mind?
What will it take to build a future worth being excited about? Elon Musk believes we already have the tools that will help us create one, but we must take bold action to get there. In conversation with head of TED Chris Anderson, Musk details how the radical new innovations he’s ... Show More
1h 6m
Apr 2022
What’s on Elon Musk’s mind?
What will it take to build a future worth being excited about? Elon Musk believes we already have the tools that will help us create one, but we must take bold action to get there. In conversation with head of TED Chris Anderson, Musk details how the radical new innovations he’s ... Show More
1h 6m
Oct 2022
Elon Musk vs. Twitter Part IV: Musk's Must-Do List
How It Happened: Elon Musk vs. Twitter Part IV: Musk's Must-Do List features reporting from Axios media reporter Sara Fischer about the challenges at Twitter that Musk could inherit — and what he might do about them. Fischer takes listeners inside Twitter to understand how the pl ... Show More
34m 23s
Jun 2024
Why investors look past Elon’s musk
Elon Musk has had inappropriate relationships with SpaceX employees. Tesla shareholders knew that, and chose to reward him with a massive payday anyway. The Wall Street Journal’s Joe Palazzolo and The Verge’s Andrew Hawkins explain.This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn, ed ... Show More
25m 48s
Listen to millions of songs and podcasts on Anghami