The Magic of Logarithms
Elon Musk shared a log scale on Twitter showing a 10,000x cost reduction. To the average person, the chart looks like a straight line down – to Musk, it's "magical engineering." The real magic is that most people don't even realize they're looking at a logarithmic scale.
The log scale is the perfect tool for tech bros to show impressive curves without anyone doing the math. A small downward tick actually means a massive jump in savings. Musk masterfully uses this optical illusion to present his engineering feats as otherworldly.
Critics argue the presentation is misleading because it gives the impression that costs have fallen linearly. In reality, the log scale only shows relative change. But for Musk, only the result counts: 10,000x less cost just sounds better than "we saved a few percent."
