To start a company you dont need a degree, but to apply to that same company, you need a degree.

Utility Delta, I'll use that the next time I order at the drive through...

When I started University on the West Coast in 1970 it cost me $90 per quarter and about $10 for books. So under $500 a year. I paid it all myself. I bought a house several years later for $44,500 with a view of the water and mountains on 1 acre of land. Paid $278 month payments. Now they want $20,000 for a year of University and $450,000 for my house. Something happened in between and it was not by accident! They had to employ those well papered people somewhere and needed a lot of money to do it. Government debt loves inflation. Individuals not so much! I had a chance that is not so available today!

I became a nurse because I wanted to help people after losing my family in a car accident when I was 9.... I became my version of my best self

He may not have a Phd, but I'll bet the people he hires have advanced degrees.

Only time you should consider a PhD is if you want to go into R&D. Only time you should consider getting a masters is if there is something you specifically want to do that can only be done with a masters. Otherwise, simply having a degree is fine if the field is in demand. Another thing. People get too caught up on "This successful person didn't have a PhD" or "That successful person didn't finish college"....those people are(or were) usually self motivated individuals who went into their programs with an understanding of the subjects in their curriculum and didn't feel there was anything more for them to learn, and left to do something very specific like start a business or pursue a field of research. These aren't stories of people who failed at college and found success elsewhere, so don't try to compare yourself to them just cause you didn't make it through school. Motivation, discipline, and vision are the keys to success

I did a PhD because it was the easiest way to immigrate from the Middle East to Europe. Then, I immigrated to the US and got a job in learning and development. If I were born and raised in a developed country, I would have never thought of going through the hardship of a PhD.

For those that get confused about what "utility delta" is: utility (of your creation) means usefulness/value and is a common term in fields such as economics, game theory and machine learning. Delta can be understood as difference/change. So the utility delta of something you'd want to create simply means the added value of the thing you want to create. Also, using terms like this is not a sign of intelligence or sophistication. It's a sign that you hang out with a particular group of people that commonly use such terms and have incorporated those terms into your own vocabulary because you also find utility in using them. What utility he finds in using them, I leave up to you to decide.

Casually using "delta" in convos signals his peer group

“How can people be useful who wanna be” Elon: “well actually I have a math formula for that.”

I did a PhD in engineering at ETH Zurich in Switzerland. It took me 4 years and I got hired 100% for it and payed between 80k to 90k a year. It was challenging but fun and came with a fat paycheck, so for me that was an easy choice.

As someone who considered getting a PhD, I agree with that, too many people pursue a PhD as a way to demand a higher salary or consider themselves more intelligent then others, which is not necessarily the case.

He didn't laugh at the idea of getting a PhD. He even said it is right for some people. He just laughed at the unconventional nature of his answer.

Misleading title. People spin Musk up too often to be a “college is useless” advocate. The idea he expresses here is reality, however. Continued education such as masters and PhDs are *sometimes* useful. But they aren’t useless or a waste of time for every career field. In heavily expertise fields it can be very helpful. Take his own company for example, engineers working on Tesla products greatly benefit from continued college education. That isn’t to say it’s impossible to gain an education without experience in the field in lieu of it, but gaining experience in *parallel* with an education can expedite peoples progress.

For me getting a degree is about studying with discipline, some cannot focus without money or grades being involved

All of his technology comes from former doctors of physics, chemistry, engineering, maths. Standing on the shoulders of giants, Elon.

He threw in a real life formula

he lost me at “utility delta”

It’s a pretty sensible answer, no shade intended. PhDs are time consuming and often expensive, focusing on a narrow rail of knowledge. Most likely your overall impact will be minimal. But you get to study what interests you, and if you’re lucky, gain useful skills

answer is yes and no, degrees don't mean you can get rich, BUT i wouldn't trust a person to design a skyscrapper or a surgeon to operate on me and tell me a degree its just a piece of paper

Looking for a reaction “if you want to be useful should you get a PHD” is a silly question. It will depend on the person. Too many variables

As someone who has a PhD in electrical engineering, I have to agree with him. It’s complicated.

Degrees aren’t necessary but they are very helpful at showing time management, dedication, goal driven people who can problem solve and complete tasks. That’s what company’s want

I got cert 1, 2, 3, 4, a diploma, then masters in IT, got nowhere with it but cleaning out keyboards. Went for a internship with a indie animation studio which cost nothing and am now a professional cartoonist and animator wokring for Fountain's Pen Productions in L.A

He’s saying getting a PhD in some cases is not the correct trajectory for someone with a great idea. If you have a phenomenal business idea, going into business school for 4 years would not be the best or quickest route to creating your business.

As a PhD student…he’s right

College used to be an education program, now it's a business.

Absolutely! Everybody has their gift, focus on what that is and find the tools that make that gift happen!

Elon: says we probably don’t need PhDs Me: needs a phd to understand what he said next

Tesla and space x both require advanced degrees or serious experience that you can only get… through advance degrees

Elon is a unique forward thinker. He knows what companies look for. Don't waste money and time, do your thing 💯

Immunoseb and Immunbio, CoQ10 and Lipoic Acid, Palmitoylethanolamide are listed as possible therapeutic interventions in papers on the NIH. A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Efficacy of Systemic Enzymes and Probiotics in the Resolution of Post-COVID Fatigue

Once the mind becomes focused, learning never stops. Constantly evolving.

The thing about PhD, you think it’s all the great stuff but when you ask someone who is in the process for 4-5 years most of them will tell you it’s a waste of time and effort. But the cold hard truth is, you have to waste these efforts in order to know what is important and how to do things. There’s no easy way around it, both for Elon and a normal PhD student.

Years ago I came up with an idea 💡 of how to integrate suspension into a bicycle wheel. It sounds like a great idea 💡 to start with but when you actually build one you realize even if it magically worked perfectly it’s NOT a good idea and you then realize how good swing arm suspension is, which you can not understand until going through this exercise. Then years later some kid built exactly what I had thought of and he went to the trouble to finish it, patent it, and try to market it. NO ONE WOULD BUY IT, because it is TO HEAVY! And he got a lot of good press on it. I realized trying out my prototype, it would add too much weight, too much apparatus to the whole bike, and the total amount of suspension too small so not really not attractive as a product at all. One day a version of wheel integrated suspension may become the standard, but that will only happen when a material much stronger than current metals and just as machinable and weldable is used in building bikes.

Fix the dependence of modern agriculture on oil. Currently an oil crisis means a food crisis

Elon: nah bro you don't need a PhD Elon's HR: PhD with 20 years industry experience in xyz required for this position

Not everyone on the team needs a PhD, but its good to have at least one or more on the team.

Brilliantly answered Elon... brilliant....!!!

"The Best for the Group comes when everyone in the group does what's best for himself AND the group." - John Nash, Mathematician & Nobel Laureate

Summarized : to become the most useful is to find a way to impact a vast amount of people, create something of that sort that makes a difference. It's not about phds but how far you can think and create.

Good answer to a strange question. Here's my take. I wanted to teach at a college level in the U.S. To do that where I want to, I need a PhD. Simple as that. The only question you need to ask is whether you NEED it. Also, two things people dont often know about PhD programs in the U.S. A) they pay you to go--it's a job. B) In most programs I know of, it is preferred you do not have an MA degree first.

ปัญหาของคนเรียนสูงบางคน พูดได้แต่ทำไม่ได้ ทุกอย่างต้องอดทนและอดทนแม้จะนานแค่ไหนจะทำอะไรก็ต้องควบคู่วิทยาศาสตร ทำไห้เห็นไห้รู้ ไห้ยอมรับสิ่งนั้นจากคนธรรมดา ที่สำคัญชาวบ้านที่ไม่น่าเชื่อถีอ แต่อยู่ที่เรามุ่งมั่น และพิสูจน์ได้ปกติมันอยู่แต่บนหิ้ง แต่อนาคตมันคงมีความหวัง

It's amazing how he sounds perfectly South African and then American in one statement

It's as dumb as saying "do you think people who want to be useful become a firefighter as the best way to achieve it ?" There is no single path to be useful, it would be counterproductive if everyone had a PhD or worked as a firefighter. But it doesn't mean he thinks that's useless...just saying because some people didn't get Elon's speech.

Just because Elon quit his doctorate doesn’t mean he should encourage that. Doctorate holders develop specialized expertise which is difficult to learn in another setting.

Well, I have been blessed with this life just once, I have only one life...I don't care whether other people consider my work "useful". Like people, don't ask yourself "how to be useful", just do what makes you happy (yeah I am not practical but who cares)

Wow I was not expecting such a superb comment! Impressed once again.

😂😂😂 I love it,” Mostly not.”

As someone with a pH.D. I approve his message.

It depends what you’re getting your PhD in. Like if you have a PhD in art or literature chances are it’s pretty useless and you’ll drown in debt.

I always get asked why I did not pursue a PhD (as I have a research master and publications). The honest answer is that I don't see that for the type of impact I want to have, I need to write for a niche of 50 experts in my own room. Somebody else might thrive on that, but I like to work for shorter goals, more gratification, more visible outcome.

My coworker in the roofing union studied at Stanford university and got doctoral degree after many years. He still can’t find work because he doesn’t have work experience. He’s currently full of debt. Now he’s working as an apprentice making what I made 4 years ago. I make $30 an hour more than him and debt free! He will eventually make as much as me but college isn’t always the solution to make good money. And have the weekends off unless you want overtime! 💰

CORRECT!!!!! No degree Just research and get a job and get the hell out of the rat race

Ive never felt more safe than the time i went to see a doctor who didn't have a PhD

Bro just created an equation for the meaning of life.

Few Engineers get PHDs or even Master's Degrees. They do get many further certifications and PE licenses etc because they are practical and useful. Its not all research. Engineers are the ones who attempt to make PhD's theories actually work in real life.

Most don’t understand the term Delta. One def means Change. Delta force means they can change things rapidly on the move according to the needs of the mission. Change-Force.

This man is literally Tony stark

"How should someone figure out how they can be more useful?" -"Well, the most useful thing they can do is volunteer to go to Mars."

I love how he barely blinks like a robot would

Do what you like to do will make you most useful ❤❤

Steps to success in life, words you must apply

The average person who just finished high-school at 18 is going to be in the labour force till ~55. I'd rather spend 4 years enhancing my overall level of education and then proceed with working the next 32 years than I would just working for 37 years. People are in such a rush. There is too much life ahead to try and have everything you want instantly.

Really enjoy hearing Elon and what he says. Seems open, friendly, honest and genius! Happy he is here!

The guy was born rich and invested/bought into companies. I have no idea why people look to him as some genius who has all the answers to life.

J.B Stauble Former CTO of Tesla the man who played a key role holds a PhD from Stanford

Unironically this is the smartest thing I've heard him say. And no, that's not me calling him dumb or anything. It is the most impressive thing I've heard him say.

THANKS FOR THE INFO ELON!!👍👍👍👍

Elon you are a blessing for our country.❤

As an all-in Tesla investor I think there is a very interesting EV company that is now ramping manufacturing. It offers a car, truck and van that like the new cybertruck has drive-by-wire technology! Amazingly you can buy the stock for only 24 cents a share! Imagine buying Tesla when it launched! Don’t miss out!They’re just now ramping up production! The stock is GOEV! I just put a $1000 stock order with betting $. I know it’s a long-shot, but the recent pivot to sell B2B to fleet buyers such as Amazon as delivery vans give it a unique niche Tesla hasn’t addressed yet

this guy answers everything by saying yes and no simultaneously

This is going to be on my microeconomics final.

Everyone can make a huge impact

Ofc you don't need a PhD if you're a ceo, he's not a scientist or a doctor, he's a bank, all he needs is his money without it he'd be nothing

To those u got confuse what he ment is that Delta Utility Model (DUM) is a multi-attribute decision model which is used to help designer making decisions when trade-offs exist in design tasks. The utility theory is applied to quantify preferences in the model. Delta is devoted to innovation and systematically developing new products and technologies, particularly those that are high-efficiency and energy-saving. Aiming to reduce global warming and ensure mankind's sustainable future with better value and performance, Delta is continuously enhancing our engineering capabilities and is committed to developing innovative technologies and solutions for a better tomorrow.

What’s most important is to find one’s purpose and ultimate goals in life and pursue it with passion and courage regardless of having a higher or highest academic achievement or less. Some professional students remain students because or while waiting to find their purpose and goal in life

Clear as mud, got it.👍

Being a good parent fits his category.

I’d love to see this full interview, what’s it from?

Great answer. You have to consider the multipliers.

As a retired RN I found. a university nursing system a poor program. Nursing was more effective from a 3 year focus of nursing.

Best haircut he has had to date

if nobody pursues PhD's anymore in science and technology, who will conduct the research that advances our understanding of science and who will teach the next generation of scientists and engineers?

Follow your heart. Follow your personal truth. If your truth is to obtain a PhD in a subject, then that is what you do.

This man always replies in a manner beyond one's expection just because he is Elon Mask.

Share your knowledge! That's the only good and moral way. The money will come or not. Our lives are not about money. It's a test of our character. Sending you my love and hugs. ❤🤗

Such a beautiful equation 🌞😁😇 Simple and 100% to the point ❤️

I hope when Elon stabalizes all the projects he's currently working on maybe he could make a higher education certificate program like he's done for his kids schools (he has a special school for his kids that's unorthodox and just focuses on what they're good at instead of memorizational nonsense)

*Legitimate Education/proof of real merit:* .Military Experience .Trade Certification .College degree in Engineering or Computer Science *Illegitimate Education/does not suggest one has any real merit:* .College degree in anything outside of engineering and computer science

This describes all education. Most people should not be going to college. They should be apprenticing in HS and working right out of HS. My current job requires a bachelor's degree in finance. I use maybe 1% of what I learned in college in my job. Mostly, I learned 99% of the skills I use daily in high school computer classes. I could've done my job as a high school grad. Outside of sciences (hard science (geology, physics, engineering, etc. - none of this political science, social science garbage)), medical, and law, nobody should be going to college. The vast majority of jobs do not require upper education, yet a huge portion of them demand a college degree. Just the other day I was talking to someone who has a PhD in "sociology." She makes $25/hr. I have two bachelor's degrees, and make $45/hr. Social studies, art, etc. need to be cut from upper education. I could get a finance degree in four semesters if not for all the prerequisite social science, arts, etc. requirements.

PhD students are the people who push the general human knowledge further and are the ones that are contributing to science. Those people are the reason why we have the things that we have discovered up until these days.

No use for a PHD in an emerald mine or on a TSLA production line. 😬

What is a PhD? Many people do a batchelors degree and that's essentially a hard version of high-school but you're maybe not living at home and you have some grants, loans and these days you have a part time job too. You leave your degree with lots of knowledge but very little to no practical skill. A master course gets you a year to 18th months of a research apprenticeship. A PhD is basically a 3-6 year research job with little pay and a 60 hour working week. You get--- for the first time---to experience managing your own projects (if you're lucky with some guidance) and have to take responsibility for problem solving. If your PhD is academic, same thing but with theoretical problems to solve.You do a PhD with two paths ahead: 1) A post-doctoral position maybe leading to an academic professorship (Tenure if someone dies) 2) You leave and go into industry. 3) You leave and stop working in that profession. There are around 20% of graduates that do a PhD in science. Of them, around 20% take on a postdoctoral position. Around 20% of them will do 2 or 3 postdoctoral positions. Some of them may get a professorship. Most people in that path drop out at some juncture. If you for instance do a PhD in molecular biology and end up applying for a job working at big a pharma company, there will be 100 graduate jobs for every 2 positions requiring a PhD. Thus, having a PhD makes job hunting harder. It's easier and cheaper to grow your own graduate into the worker you want than it is to pay postdoctoral wages to then have to do the same thing to a PhD holder. Unless you have some very sought after skills (a specific niche), you're better off going into industry instead of a PhD if you think being a professor isn't for you. PhD students in biological sciences can end up in teaching, Medical communications, medical sales and a variety if other affiliated professions that aren't research. Thus, don't do a PhD in research unless you really love research and that's what you want as a career. Do a masters first before a PhD, so you find out what the life is like before you sign up for a full PhD. There are many benefits going through the process of doing a PhD: you learn to sell ideas (how you get funded), you get to learn how to plan large projects and plan how to write a thesis. You'll be good at writing after you complete your PhD. However, it is not an easy path and not for the uncommitted. PhD in subjects less well funded will actually cost you money---they won't come with grants. In these cases, you can't afford not to be sure it's what you live for. My advice for PhD students is this: 1) Put your PhD work first, everything else last. 2) Get into work early and ask your questions before everyone gets into their own work. 3) Before you start research, read every major paper and review article your PhD supervisor has written or been involved with. Read all the main papers they cite often. Spend most of your 6 months at the beginning learning where the field is at and where the interesting questions are at. Don't just start doing work on what your supervisor suggests, as you won't have his perspective. To be independent, you need to be on their page so you can talk at their level. This will impress them and they will take you more seriously. 4) If you're doing a PhD, and you're not getting the help you need nor are you able to work out how to do things, network with other people not in your lab/department! Get on forums and ask questions. Talk to other researchers not in your lab or department. Socialise with them. Get an outside mentor---maybe a retired researcher. Use ChatGPT. Do whatever it takes to broaden your perspective and find a way to solve your problems. 5) Always have 3 projects: one main, one backup, and one wildcard. Don't expect any of them to work. Don't be afraid to transition a project that's stuck for lower hanging fruit, especially if the equipment is not sensitive enough or some other technical reason which can't be overcome within the duration.

In some areas it’s impossible to gauge the real world effect of the research

I don't why some people call this man a genius.

I have a PhD in materials science, and you can’t do my job without it. Actually, even with a PhD you can barely scratch the surface. So it depends.

He deserves a Nobel preize for all of his contributions to the humanity and for standing with people of Israel. God bless him ❤

This guy is from another planet...imagine the way he precieves reality..the level of logic..me eat cheeseburger now

He didn’t answer the question. Do a PhD if 1) you like to 2) want a career in academia. Impact comes in many ways, you can do research in academia or industry and you can even be a good manager and investor like Elon. All of those things can have a positive impact. If you want a glamorous or lucrative career, a PhD is of no use. -Someone with a PhD