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Wired Leader on the Tech Figures Gracing Movie Screens: “They’re United By a Lack of Humanity”
Katie Drummond, Wired’s global editorial director, says recent films about technology leaders are prompting closer scrutiny of their power and public images. She argues that the documentary Musk builds a detailed case about Elon Musk’s business claims and conduct, and that journalism can help hold influential figures to account.
Drummond points to interviews with Musk’s former partners and Tesla’s co-founder, as well as examination of the company’s self-driving technology, as evidence of the film’s specificity. She says Musk has substantial financial and institutional power, while censorship and suppression can make the film harder to see. The interview also touches on Nathan Fielder’s film about Elizabeth Holmes, which Drummond sees as an exploration of honesty and deception.
In short
- Drummond says the film scrutinises Musk’s claims and conduct.
- She argues that persistent journalism can matter.
- The interview also discusses a film about Elizabeth Holmes.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Films scrutinising powerful technology leaders can serve the public interest by testing their claims and examining how their decisions affect others. In Drummond’s view, detailed reporting and interviews can make influential figures more accountable, especially when their money and institutional reach shape public debate.
The case against
Critics could argue that films built around allegations and selected interviews risk presenting complex people and companies through a one-sided lens. Scrutiny is valuable, but it should be matched by careful fact-checking, context and a fair chance for those criticised to respond, so that accountability does not become a verdict by filmmaking.
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