In the world of tech, there’s no doubt one of the most prolific figures is Elon Musk. He’s literally revolutionized the way we get around, the way we power our homes, how we think about space exploration, and so many other aspects of our lives. But when it comes to the answer to the question of “does Elon Musk watch TV?”, the answer isn’t one of a cut and dry nature.
Many experts have weighed in on this question, sharing various points on why Musk probably does watch TV, or why he’s more likely to stream digital content rather than watch regular shows. After surveying these experts and discussing the various debate points that have arisen, what can be said for certain is that Elon Musk’s view on television could be largely subjective and circumstantial in nature.
Some feel that he has been successful because he’s taken careful control of his time, using it in a self-disciplined, productive manner. That’s why it can be argued that Musk’s questionable relationship with television could be explained by him perceiving it as a distraction. To him, he may not even consider tuning in as an idle pursuit, as he’s so focused on using every moment of his valuable time in the most productive way possible.
On the other hand, a lot of evidence has emerged on social media that seems to indicate he does occasionally tune in to different shows. This could indicate that he does consider TV to be a form of relaxation, and takes time out from his jam packed schedule to treat himself to some good entertainment.
Musk has also made some comments on TV over the years, which suggests he does have a relationship with the medium. During an interview with Oprah in 2018, Musk made the following statement; “I watch TV, I love watching Game of Thrones,” and in another speech he said “I find TV to be a useful source of information during political season”.
Headaches
One of the primary points addressed by the Musk debate has focused on his extremely packed and hectic schedule, and the repercussions this could have on his time usage. While it’s a generally known fact that sleeping too little, working too much and experiencing a great deal of mental stress can lead to intense headaches, what’s interesting is how Musk positions TV in all this.
It appears the tech mogul does subscribe to the view that television can be detrimental to one’s mental and physical health. When asked during an interview if he uses any type of mental or physical stress-relieving strategies, he said “When I do find a few minutes of relaxation, I try and watch a good movie or series on TV”, thus suggesting he tries to manage his headaches and stress by taking the time to watch TV.
Coding
Another aspect of Musk’s life that’s widely discussed and dissected is his relationship with coding and computer science. While most regular people are content with streaming the latest episodes of their favorite shows, Musk went a step further.
According to reports, in the early 2000s Musk invested a chunk of his fortune into coding and teaching himself the language of computer science. It was reported in a popular magazine that he taught himself how to code from the ground up in a matter of two weeks.
At the same time, it’s likely Musk still watches the occasional show, or streams a movie – which could explain why he’s considered himself an avid fan of Game of Thrones. But it appears that much of his viewing time is dedicated toLearning from what is viewed SpaceX engineering endeavors.
Travel
It goes without saying that much of Elon Musk’s time is spent travelling and he’s no stranger to long flights, layovers and foreign cities. To pass the time during downtime, he could be watching different shows.
When it comes to traveling, Musk’s experiences and opinions on watching TV come to the forefront. During an interview with the Atlantic, Elon Musk was asked what he does to keep himself entertained during long-haul flights — a question that leveraged specific focus on his relationship with TV.
He responded by saying “In the rare moments I get to watch movies, I prefer watching movies I already know – simple classic movies from the 80s and 90s that I’ve already seen”. This would likely explain why Elon Musk’s comfortability with television doesn’t seem to cross the line into being comfortable with weekly TV routines.
Technology
When discussing Elon Musk and his relationship with television, one cannot leave technology out of the conversation. After all, this is the man behind some of the world’s greatest advancements.
Undoubtedly, his focus is technology. As a result, it can be said that Elon Musk is likely to prefer some form of streaming compared to the standard television-viewing experience.
In 2020, he released a statement to the press saying “It’s my belief that streaming content — from devices such as tablets and smartphones — will be the predominant way people watch content in the coming years”. This could also explain why we don’t necessarily hear of Musk splashing out on cable TV subscriptions.
Elon Musk is also active on Twitter and his tweets can be seen as a direct insight into his view on television. While on the social media platform, he’s voiced out his opinion that he’s “not particularly a fan of scripted television” and only watches comedy specials.
This would suggest that he subscribes to the view that TV can be beneficial in certain scenarios, albeit not when it comes to regular scheduled programming. He also rarely retweets things related to mainstream programs and instead leans towards sharing posts promoting technology advancements, particularly those related to space exploration.
Creativity
When discussing Elon Musk and his relationship with television, another unavoidable topic is the effect of this relationship on his creativity. It’s said that one of the greatest strategies to stay productive and creative is to take regular rest and relaxation breaks, of which the occasional moment of watching TV can form a part.
Whether Musk views TV as a necessary break from brain-numbing work or an optional pastime, his tweets about the various creative projects he’s engaged in suggest he does breaks for himself as a means of inspiring and motivating himself.
This could mean that watching TV has a place in his life, but as a means of gaining motivation, stimulation and inspiration as opposed to just being something he does casually to pass time.Whatever his reasoning, it appears that TV has become a complex factor in Elon Musk’s life.
