Part 3/11:
Elon’s rhetorical tone underscores the basic physics here, asking, “Do they not teach these elementary principles in high school anymore?” to highlight widespread misunderstandings. He points out that our civilization today boasts an astonishing increase in power per person—about 10,000 watts—compared to the mere hundreds used historically, facilitated by technological advancements in energy storage and generation.
Looking ahead, Musk underscores the importance of scaling energy infrastructure in the U.S. to stay competitive in the global AI race. He references broader missions to harness a tiny fraction of Earth's solar energy, implying tremendous potential remains untapped that could support future growth and sustainability.