It’s interesting to note that I came across something intriguing about Elon Musk from his childhood. He used to have a fear of the dark.

He once mentioned, “When I was a little kid, I was really scared of the dark. But then I came to understand that dark simply signifies the absence of photons in the visible wavelength—ranging from 400 to 700 nanometers. Then I thought, well, it’s rather irrational to be afraid of a lack of photons. That’s when my fear of the dark disappeared.”

Elon Musk

This captivates me because true learning doesn’t entail merely memorizing facts to gain knowledge. Instead, it should involve uncovering the unknown, revealing the unseen, unleashing potential, and continuously seeking ways to apply that knowledge practically for everyone. Our current education system often compartmentalizes knowledge, failing to emphasize the interconnectedness of different subjects. I believe Elon Musk must have understood, even at a young age, that everything in the world is interconnected—gathering facts, establishing connections, grasping the bigger picture, and then applying this understanding for the benefit of all

I shared this anecdote with my 9-year-old son, and he’s curious about how to establish connections in his own learning journey.

I checked three sources to verify the authenticity of the quote. Screenshots confirm that the quote is indeed from Elon.