Another Iceberg, Right Ahead 235
month expenses, failing to note that legal fees constituted
the majority,” Elon said.^440
Elon sought comfort in the bookThe Hitchhiker’s
Guide to the Galaxywhere he found the quote “Don’t
panic.” He thought that if you let your emotions take over,
they could cloud your decision-making process and cause
you to make decisions you’ll regret later.^125
As the troubles with SpaceX and Tesla began at the
same time, Elon wondered if he should save either Tesla
or SpaceX. In the end, Elon decided not to give up any of
the companies. He compared it with having two children
in trouble. Would you save just one kid or would you try to
save both? “You should not give up unless you are forced to
give up,” Elon said. “But there are times when you should
give up because you are doing something in error, if you
are trying to penetrate a brick-wall with your head. If you
are convinced that what you are doing is correct, then you
should never give up.”^360
What is certain is that Elon never called for higher
powers during these years. Elon has only returned to South
Africa four times since he immigrated to Canada, and he
has never considered himself a South African.^4 But one
of the few trips back to his birth country came close to
becoming one of his last trips ever.
In 2000, Elon and Justine traveled to South Africa
where they visited Pretoria and the Londolozi Game Re-
serve. During Elon’s seventeen years in the country, he
never took a malaria pill. On this trip, they took some pills
even though they didn’t take the pills seriously. Why would