Elon Musk is once again challenging what he calls one of the most damaging assumptions in modern economic thinking: the belief that wealth and success are zero-sum. In a resurfaced video now circulating widely online, Musk argues that much of the resentment toward innovation and financial success stems from the false idea that the economic pie is fixed.

“A lot of the negativity stems from the axiomatic flaw that the economic pie is static,” Musk said. “That it’s a zero-sum game.” According to Musk, this mindset fuels the belief that when someone succeeds, it must be because they took something away from others — a premise he says is fundamentally wrong.

Musk pointed to his own career as an example of value creation rather than wealth extraction. He recalled launching his first company, Zip2, while carrying roughly $100,000 in student debt and no personal wealth. After Zip2 was sold for $307 million, Musk reinvested his earnings into X.com, later PayPal, and then poured nearly all of that capital into Tesla and SpaceX.

He emphasized that he deliberately invested his own money rather than relying primarily on outside investors. “It didn’t feel right that I should ask investors to invest if I was not prepared to invest my own money,” Musk said, stressing the importance of having “skin in the game.” As those companies succeeded, the value of his ownership increased — not because wealth was taken from others, but because the companies created entirely new products, industries, and capabilities.

Musk framed this process as proof that economic growth is driven by innovation that expands what is available to everyone. Cars, airplanes, smartphones, computers, and life-saving medicines did not replace an existing fixed pool of goods, he noted. They were created from scratch, dramatically increasing productivity and quality of life.

Supporters of Musk’s argument point to long-term data showing that U.S. GDP per capita has roughly doubled over the past 30 years, largely due to technological advances. While critics raise concerns about issues such as housing shortages and inequality, many listeners say Musk’s broader point remains valid: prosperity grows when societies reward risk-taking, invention, and long-term investment.

At a time when economic debates increasingly frame success as suspect and wealth as inherently exploitative, Musk’s message stands in sharp contrast. His core argument is simple but forceful — when innovation is allowed to flourish, the pie does not shrink. It grows.