Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) CEO Elon Musk has called Scott Galloway, a public speaker and professor of marketing, an “insufferable numbskull” for suggesting that Musk has lost faith in Tesla’s valuation.
What Happened: Musk made his comments after a Twitter user brought to his attention comments Galloway made.
Doing the opposite of whatever that insufferable numbskull says would be a great way to invest!
— Lorde Edge (@elonmusk) November 7, 2021
Galloway, who took note of the exchange, reacted in response saying “Numbskull…better than pedo.”
Numbskull … better than pedo.
So, we own a Tesla (Falcon Model X) and love it. Great car, great company & hard to overestimate the impact you, and your team, have had on the world. I’ve called you a genius before.
1/x
— Scott Galloway (@profgalloway) November 8, 2021
Galloway was referring to a July 2018 tweet in which Musk referred to a British diver involved in the rescue of a Thai soccer team from a cave as a “pedo guy.”
The professor drew up a list of companies and said he doesn’t believe and neither does he think Musk believes that Tesla was worth more than all of them combined.
However, I don’t believe (and I don’t think you do either) that Tesla is worth more than:
Toyota
Daimler
Volkswagen
BMW
GM
Ford
Fiat-Chrysler
Tata
Honda
Ferrari
Hyundai
Boeing
Airbus
American Air
Delta
Southwest
JetBlueCombined…
— Scott Galloway (@profgalloway) November 8, 2021
See Also: How To Buy Tesla (TSLA) Stock
Why It Matters: The Galloway-Musk episode took place after Musk held an online poll, asking his Twitter followers whether he should sell 10% of his company holdings.
Galloway pointed to comments by Musk at the Code Conference, where according to the orator, Musk said his tax rate was 53%.
My understanding is you will need to exercise a substantial amount of options soon, which will trigger a taxable event. At #codecon you said your tax rate is 53%. I don’t see how that’s possible as a (recent) resident of Texas.
— Scott Galloway (@profgalloway) November 8, 2021
In a series of tweets, Galloway castigated Musk for abdicating his responsibility to Twitter and suggested he could have borrowed the entire amount at low rates to foot his tax bill.
You could just say, It’s time to diversify, I need to pay taxes, etc. Instead, you abdicate responsibility to Twitter for this decision.
Sidebar: bad time to ask if you’d come speak to my Brand Strategy class at @NYUStern?
— Scott Galloway (@profgalloway) November 8, 2021
Galloway also came down heavily on Musk for his attack on Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.)
Did you really just say this? I thought I was high.
Boss, Sen. @RonWyden‘s father fled from the Nazis. Sen. Wyden was a scholar athlete & has been (re-)elected 4x to the greatest deliberative body on this, or any, planet.https://t.co/QRc3tkFYBm
— Scott Galloway (@profgalloway) November 8, 2021
The academician urged Musk to ditch name-calling and ad hominem attacks in favor of “progress” and said the two of them have more in common than is perceived.
So — you have immense talent, resources and influence. And I have your attention.
How do we make lemonade (progress) from lemons (numbskull, ad-hominem attacks)?
I think there’s more that unites us, Elon, than divides us.
— Scott Galloway (@profgalloway) November 8, 2021
Musk has recently changed his Twitter nickname to “Lorde Edge,” which according to Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) co-creator Billy Markus is an anagram for “Elder Doge.”
Price Action: On Friday, Tesla shares closed nearly 0.6% lower at $1,222.09 in the regular session.
Photo: Courtesy of Steve Jurvetson on Flickr
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