Ego Over Wisdom

Over the years, mankind has been blessed with some of the most genius minds. Great thinkers, scientist and revolutionists have changed and impacted lives of billions of people. If it weren’t for these people, our lives would be the way it was during our ancestors. To name a few, these names include Issac Newton, Aristotle, Elon Musk, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Benjamin Franklin and hundred others. But wait, is there a name that maybe doesn’t deserve to be there? Yes, there is in fact. No, it’s not Musk. I think he is exceptional and a modern day Tony Stark we need. I am talking about Thomas Edison. You may know him as America’s greatest inventor. But was he an inventor or a business man who earned his riches and fame through other people’s inventions. One name that would eventually go onto become the greatest inventor of all time was destroyed by America’s creates inventor. All because they had different ideas related to Electric current and the former’s was way more smart and efficient. If it wasn’t for Thomas Edison’s egocentric mind, the entire would probably have free electricity.

Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American electrical and mechanical engineer. Popularly known for inventing the AC or Alternate Current. He came to America desperate in search of new opportunities for his inventions and was hired by Thomas Edison. While the earlier contract was that Tesla would improve Edison’s DC projects, once completed, as usual Thomas refused to hold his end of the bargain. Soon, Tesla’s AC motor projects were identified by investors and not long after, the two inventors were at War to prove whose project was better. While Tesla concentrated on improving his AC projects, Edison did everything in his power to defame the Serbian. He even electrocuted an elephant in public with Tesla’s motor to show how dangerous Tesla’s model was. However after much hard work, Tesla won the war of the currents but that wasn’t the end of it. Edison was adamant of knocking Tesla out more than regaining his own reputation back. The key different between the two has always been said that one has a business mind. But I feel the key difference was that Edison was more Egocentric and Tesla actually heeded on this jealousy and used it to his advantage. Although, eventually we all know who won.

Tesla received funding from various investors with the success of AC. He started working with JP Morgan on the idea of a Wireless Globe. If it wasn’t for Edison’s influence over the backers of Tesla’s most challenging project, The world would have got internet and electricity for free 80 years before we eventually invented it. This led to the downfall of Nikola Tesla. His ambitions and will to change the world, were not comprehended with others and eventually Nikola Tesla become a crazy and paranoid scientist. People believe Tesla ruined his own career but I believe that it was Thomas Edison’s rage and jealousy that made him ruin Tesla’s career and the potential prosperous future of the world. After all there is a reason Elon Musk named his flagship company ‘Tesla’. “I will not be known by today but one day men will look back and say, I gave power to the modern world.” - Nikola Tesla After

- Shubham Mohta

by Saanika Shah