Amid ongoing discussions on immigration policy and the importance of attracting global talent, Tesla CEO Elon Musk acknowledged the significant contribution of Indian talent to the US and said the country has benefited greatly from skilled Indians. In an interview, Musk discussed immigration policy and entrepreneurship.
He said that I think America has benefited a lot from the talented Indians coming to America. I mean, America has been a huge beneficiary of Indian talent. He said that many persons of Indian origin have made significant contributions to the American economy, thereby promoting growth and innovation. He stressed the need for a balanced immigration policy and criticized the lack of border controls by the Biden administration.
Open borders are harmful for the country
Elon Musk said, open borders during Biden’s tenure were harmful because they also allowed criminals to enter America. If there is a huge financial incentive to come to America illegally and get all these government benefits, you are essentially going to create a diffusion gradient for people to come to America.
there must be border control
He said you have to have border control and not to have that is ridiculous. Musk addressed concerns that talented immigrants were taking jobs away from natives. He said that he is not completely sure about the validity of this assumption. Based on his experience, he believes that there is a shortage of talented people, and that skilled immigrants are filling vacant positions, rather than taking away jobs.
Advice on being prepared for failure
Elon Musk said that my belief is that there is always a shortage of talented people. Musk advised new entrepreneurs to work hard and be prepared for failure. From my perspective, we have a hard time finding enough talented people to do these difficult tasks, so more talented people would be good. But I think some companies are making it a matter of cost. But in my company, the problem is that we are trying to bring in the most talented people from all over the world.
He said that if someone contributes to the society, it is a matter of happiness. Aim to earn more than you give. Be a net contributor to society. It’s like the search for happiness. If you want to create something that is financially valuable, don’t run after it. It’s better to create products and services that are actually useful. If you do this, money will come to you naturally.
‘You can’t look for happiness straight away’
Musk further said that anyone who wants to build a company should work hard and be prepared for failure. Like you can’t seek happiness directly. You look for things that lead to happiness, but it’s not the same thing as direct effort. But generally, if someone is trying to run a company, he should work very hard. Except, he said, there is some possibility of failure. But just focus on making sure the output is more valuable than the input. Are you a value-creator? This is what matters most.