In this sharp and surprising episode, Aparna and Harinda evaluate Elon Musk’s first 130 days in the White House — but not through the usual partisan lens.

Instead, they ask: If government were a university, how would Musk perform as a student of power?
Using a semester-style report card, they grade him across economics, political science, business, computer science and ethics — while exploring whether our old frameworks for leadership, performance and accountability still hold up in an era defined by speed, scale, and disruption.

🧠 This episode challenges:

• How we judge performance in the age of power-first governance

• Whether governments should still be evaluated by theory and institutions or by outcomes and impact

• If traditional political science can explain Musk’s influence — or if we need new rules

• What happens when goals like efficiency and scale replace consensus and process

• The blurred lines between CEO thinking and geopolitical strategy

  
  

📰 Media of the Week:

• Harinda’s Pick: U.S. Army PSYOP Book on Psychological Operations

• Aparna's Pick: Claude resorts to blackmail if threatened for it's existence

  
  

📌 Chapters:
00:00 Elon Musk: The Disruptor in Government
06:19 Evaluating Elon Musk's Economic Impact
12:17 The Macro-Economic Landscape and International Relations
17:01 Political Science: Rewriting Global Politics
23:42 Domestic Accountability and Government Efficiency
24:10 Political Landscape and Republican Strategy
26:38 Business Acumen and Strategic Interests
32:08 Technological Advancements and Data Utilization
36:18 Ethics in Governance and Business Practices

👥 Connect with Us:
• Aparna Bhushan on LinkedIn
• Harinda Katugaha on LinkedIn
• Learn more: rethinkingtech.co

🎧 Follow for new episodes every Tuesday — where we rethink tech, power, and the frameworks we use to measure both.