Where did Elon Musk’s epic ambitions begin? In search of clues we return to his sheltered youth in apartheid South Africa, a world engineered for white supremacy. Along the way, we connect the dots between a bizarre White House ambush of South African president Cyril Ramaphosa to teenage Elon’s ego-powered quests in video games. Finally, was his “draft dodge” from military service a moral act or an opportunist’s exit?
Guests in this episode include:
- Rudolph Pienaar, childhood friend of Elon Musk
- Will Shoki, South African journalist and writer
Topics in this episode include:
- Donald Trump’s Oval Office ambush of President Cyril Ramaphosa with conspiracy theories about an anti-white Afrikaaner farmer genocide, or “white genocide” in South Africa
- Elon Musk’s South African childhood, including his time at Pretoria Boys High School and his approach to fantasy role playing video games
- Apartheid and structural white privilege/supremacy
- The South African Border War, conscription and draft-dodging
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- Money, Muscles and Anxiety: Why the Manosphere Clicked With Young Men – A Visual Deep Dive by Anna Leach, Ed Gargan and Maeve Shearlaw – 21 October 2025
- Notes on the Gen Z Revolts in Morocco and Madagascar, by Lundi Matin – 17 October 2025
- The Logic(s) of Iran’s Nuclear Program. Interview With Sara Kermanian – 4 August 2026
- On Explaining China to Americans, by Diego Ge – 27 May 2026
- Sudan: How Warring Factions Gained Influence in the Country’s Food System – And What It Means for the Current Conflict, by Danielle Resnick, Hala M.E. Abushama, Khalid Siddig and Oliver Kiptoo Kirui – 18 February 2026
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