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"You know what, don't bother showing the video. We will make one of the mini-sub/pod going all the way to Cave 5 no problemo. Sorry pedo guy, you really did ask for it."

Elon Musk
Elon Musk Entrepreneur
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Quote meaning
Alright, let's dive right in.

The core idea of that quote revolves around a dismissal and a comeback in a heated argument. Essentially, someone is being told not to worry about evidence because the speaker is confident they can demonstrate their point. There's a bit of name-calling thrown in for good measure, which signals just how personal and intense this exchange has become.

To give you some context, this quote comes from a public spat between Elon Musk and Vernon Unsworth, a British cave diver who played a significant role in the rescue of a Thai soccer team trapped in a cave in 2018. When Musk offered to help with a mini-submarine designed to navigate the cave's tight spaces, Unsworth dismissed it as a publicity stunt, saying it had "absolutely no chance of working." Musk fired back with this tweet, which led to a defamation lawsuit (that Musk eventually won).

Imagine you're at work, and you're trying to pitch a new idea to your team. You're passionate about it—maybe it's a new project that you believe will streamline your processes. But then, a colleague dismisses it outright, saying it’ll never work. You’re gutted, but instead of backing down, you decide to create a prototype to prove your point. You might not call them names, but your determination to show you're right is palpable. That’s the essence of this quote.

Now, let's consider a real-life example. Picture a tech startup working on a revolutionary app. The team knows it’s innovative, but they face skepticism from investors who believe it’s too ambitious. Instead of showing off a slick video, the team opts to build a fully functioning demo. They bring it to the next investor meeting and allow the investors to play around with it. The investors, impressed by the hands-on experience and seeing the app in action, decide to fund the startup. In this case, the team’s decision to demonstrate the app's capabilities directly turned the tide in their favor.

So, how can you apply this wisdom in your own life? Don’t just talk about what you can do—show it. If someone doubts your ability or the feasibility of your idea, take it as a challenge rather than an insult. Create a prototype, do a small-scale test, or provide a tangible example. Prove your detractors wrong with action rather than words.

Let me share a relatable story. Think about a high school science fair. You’ve got two students, Jane and Mike. Jane’s got these amazing charts and presentations about her solar-powered water purifier. Mike, on the other hand, brings in an actual working model. While Jane’s presentation is polished and informative, people are naturally drawn to Mike’s hands-on exhibit. They can see the purifier in action, purifying water right there and then. Mike’s project wins first prize, not because it’s necessarily better in theory, but because he showed rather than told.

In the end, it comes down to this: talk can be cheap. Actions and tangible evidence? Those carry weight. Next time you're up against doubters, remember that sometimes the best way to win an argument is simply to let your actions speak louder than your words.
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