>>12032320>what machine are you talking aboutBy hype machine I don't mean machine in the literal sense... although perhaps that's what projects like Wardenclyffe became in a way. What I mean is that I think Tesla's failing is that he bought too much into the idea of his own public image.
When you look at Tesla's early work it's remarkably thorough and methodical, he pursues successes with fervor, but doesn't ignore his failures. He has some luck with several of his patents in the 1880s, but it's not until he starts adopting more of a showman persona in the 1890s and early 1900s that he explodes in popularity. Instead of straightforward engineering, you see him dressing up his work, doing exhibitions with lots of pomp and fanfare. For example, he isn't the first to demonstrate radio remote control, but packaging it into a toy boat with lots of bells and lights and whistles convinces everyone of its potential. Tesla the Engineer is still doing good work, but its Tesla the Showman who's making the work appreciated.
As time goes on, though, you start seeing more of the Showman and less of the Engineer. When Tesla moves out to Colorado Springs to pursue his work on wireless transmission he gets some initial promising results, but then becomes frustrated by the rapidly diminishing returns. His publications become less methodical and more anecdotal, cherry-picking results, making grander and grander claims with less and less evidence to back them up. And all the while the gossip about his work is inflating the actual findings and reinforcing the public image of Tesla as this infallible and unbounded genius.
By the time work on Wardenclyffe starts, the Engineer's been ignoring years of negative results and the Showman's burning through a fortune wining and dining potential patrons. At that point I suspect Tesla believes his own hype. It doesn't matter there's no evidence to suggest Wardenclyffe will work - he's Tesla, the electrical genius, he couldn't be wrong. Right?
