Historian Quinn Slobodian and writer Ben Tarnoff on Elon Musk as the ultimate symbol of our time.

Who is Elon Musk? A genius? A troublemaker? A visionary or a villain? Everyone has an opinion about the eccentric tech billionaire. The media often focuses on his personality to understand his actions and statements. But according to historian Quinn Slobodian (Boston University) and writer Ben Tarnoff, Musk is so much more than an individual. He is the embodiment of a new political and economic era, where power is increasingly in the hands of tech companies. In their new book 'Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed', they explore the forces that shaped Musk, from South Africa to Silicon Valley, Space X to DOGE. What happens when the richest man in the world sets the rules? How is our increasing dependence on Musk's technologies changing our lives and our society?

This programme is a collaboration with the Visions for the Future research project (UU) and Utrecht Library.