Chamath: While Silicon Valley Gave Us Reels, Elon Gave Us Rockets and Electric Cars

Chamath Palihapitiya: While Silicon Valley created AirPods and Instagram Reels, Elon created reusable rockets and electric cars.

“I think it's fair to say that we have had a lost decade in Silicon Valley.

And when you look underneath why, what are the two most or three most or four most incredible technological achievements that the Silicon Valley has created in the last decade? You're hard-pressed to find it.

So, in one example, you have Elon. He's created reusable rocketry. He's created an entire global mesh of communications infrastructure. He's created electric cars. That's an incredible thing.

And he's done that with one hand tied behind his back, fighting the government, local, state, and federal, at every single turn over the last 10 or 15 years.

What have the rest of us done? We've created AirPods and Instagram Reels.”

Chamath Palihapitiya on the Tucker Carlson Show, January 23, 2025