In a surprising but not altogether shocking move, on Monday, billionaire businessman, entrepreneur, and space junkie Elon Musk announced he would donate six billion dollars of his money to the United Nations Food Bank.
There was one catch. The UN had to prove their plan would work.
The announcement came as part of a war of words after the UN Director for the Food Programme challenged the ultra-wealthy, particularly the world's two richest men Jeff Bezos and Musk, to "step up now, on a one-time basis" to help solve world hunger.
The Tesla chief executive said in his Twitter post on Sunday, "If WFP can describe on this Twitter thread exactly how $6 billion will solve world hunger, I will sell Tesla stock right now and do it."
I found the exchange odd. Not because of the staggering sum of money. Not because it was all happening on Twitter. Not because they were talking world hunger at the exact time we discovered Space X Astronauts would have to use diapers because of a leaky toilet.
I found it odd because Elon Musk doesn't ask people how to solve problems; he simply solves them.
He didn't ask NASA how to build a better rocket, or Ford how to make a better car. He didn't reach out to Comcast or Cox to get their thoughts on creating a better internet (he probably did, but gave up after 4 hours on hold). He just built it. Musk didn't ask any of those groups because he didn't need to. He already knew the answer!
Musk's offering six billion dollars if the UN can show how it will end world hunger demonstrates that Musk doesn't know how to end it either. History has shown that if he did, he would have done it already.
Trolling Elon Musk is apparently an effective strategy to get his attention, so I thought I would try it.
So what do you say, Elon? You in? I have a plan and can prove my results.
Do you want to:
Raise academic achievement?
Raise graduation rates?
Lower drop-out rates?
Raise test scores?
Lower drug and alcohol abuse?
Increase school and community involvement?
Create engaged and creative learners?
Increase teacher satisfaction and longevity?
If you got the coin, then I'm the guy to join! GO ALL-IN ON MUSIC!
Listen, it doesn't HAVE to be you. Warren, Jeff, and Bill are welcome to join in. We don't care who is included, just that you are involved. We got the plan, and you are the man! Tweet me back, and I will get you my digits!
In all seriousness... We know that music does all of those things and more. We see the impact it can have and the way it can change a life. We know that we have verifiable and incontrovertible evidence that music will make young people more successful even if they do not continue in music.
So why isn't anybody listening? And why do we even have to ask? The problem and solutions are undoubtedly prevalent enough and solvable. You don't need to be Elon Musk to see and solve this problem, although it would help.
More importantly, how have we not created our own version of Elon Musk? How is it possible that none of these people were either involved in music or are willing to support it in a meaningful way? For all we say that music does, shouldn't we have cultivated this person or developed this relationship?
We see athletes give back to sports programs and people in business give back to the schools. That's how athletic fields get names and buildings get built. But what about affluent musicians and pop stars? It doesn't have to be money. It can be using the position and place of prominence to say, "THIS IS HOW WE MAKE OUR CHILDREN AND OUR COUNTRY BETTER!"
For years I have wondered (often aloud): how is it possible that something that does so much good is so under-appreciated? Where is our Elon Musk?
So if you are listening, Elon, you have the money, and I have the plan. We should talk.
Have a great week!
- Scott