In a philosophical moment after Twitterers voted for his ouster, Elon Musk tweeted, “Those who want power are the ones who least deserve it.” Musk’s statement exemplifies modern society’s desire for a Tolkienic Hero, a figure who reluctantly holds the reigns of power to change the course of history. As Tanner Greer pointed out in his essay introducing the idea, this heroic ideal is popular today, but was an aberration in the past. How did this vision of leadership imprint itself in our minds, and how should we evaluate it?
Should power go to the people who want it?
Should power go to the people who want it?
Should power go to the people who want it?
In a philosophical moment after Twitterers voted for his ouster, Elon Musk tweeted, “Those who want power are the ones who least deserve it.” Musk’s statement exemplifies modern society’s desire for a Tolkienic Hero, a figure who reluctantly holds the reigns of power to change the course of history. As Tanner Greer pointed out in his essay introducing the idea, this heroic ideal is popular today, but was an aberration in the past. How did this vision of leadership imprint itself in our minds, and how should we evaluate it?