6 Reasons Why Henry Ford Kicks Elon Musk's Ass
Hero worship. It’s a dangerous game and one we play a lot in our celebrity-focused culture. The flavor of the month these days is Elon Musk and it’s getting downright disgusting. Sure, there’s a lot to be impressed with, that guy seems to have a hand in everything—electric cars, solar power, space exploration and now home battery units. It’s undoubtedly impressive. But I think we should be a little cautious because this cult of Elon stuff has gone just plain crazy. Yes, he’s done cool stuff. Yes, he’s pretty young for all of his accomplishments. And while it’s striking, it is not without precedence. Our country has had many a renaissance man, not the least of which is the guy that revolutionized the very industry that we enthusiasts embrace—that man is Henry Ford. And, for many reasons he, quite frankly, is more majestic than Mr. Musk. Consider the following:
1. Henry Ford Came Up The Hard Way
Unlike Musk whose parents were upper middle class and sent him to both college abroad and then on to graduate school, Ford left school at 15. Then at 16, Henry ran away from home. He went to Detroit where he worked for ten hours a day to make $2.50/week. At 18, Elon Musk was in college in Canada, buying a frat house with a friend that he later ran as a nightclub.2. Henry Ford Could Burn Rubber
In 1904, Henry Ford set a land-speed record of 91.37 mph on the frozen surface of Michigan’s Lake St. Clair. And while that may not seem very fast these days, consider that Ford’s car the “999” had a wooden chassis and no body or hood.

3. Henry Ford Was Faithful...Kinda

4. Henry Ford Gave To His Country
Between the democratization of the automobile and creating the world’s largest factory on American soil, Henry Ford gave a lot to the U.S.A. He was also an outspoken pacifist. In fact, he got so upset over WWI that he chartered a boat dubbed the “Peace Ship” and sailed across the Atlantic in an effort to stop the war. After this proved wildly unsuccessful, Ford used his factory in Cherry Hill to create jobs targeted for and assigned to disabled vets. Musk has done his bit too, launching a veteran hiring initiative and creating veteran communities within Tesla itself. However, the roughly $4.9 billion in combined government subsidies that his companies have received is causing of firestorm of questions about his commitment to the U.S.5. Ford Wasn’t Always Successful
Before starting the Ford Motor Company, Henry Ford was fired from his first job and both of his two first companies flopped. As did his aviation ventures. So did his Fordlandia project in Brazil. But these flops only make him more endearing, as if he’s more like the rest of us. Elon however, seems to have the golden touch. After selling his first company at 12 for $500, Musk’s next project made him $22 million and there sure haven’t been many flops since.6. Ford Was A Kick Ass Boss


A FEW THINGS WE CAN STILL LOVE ABOUT MUSK...
... without calling him a hero. Harper Collins' new book out on Elon compares him to a "real-life Tony Stark." See? We're serious about this thing about people thinking he's a hero! But I'm sure the book backs up their claim, check it out for yourself if you'd like.