The War of the Currents was Edison and Westinghouse. The elephant was executed by the ASPCA and filmed by the Edison Studios years after, that company had been sold by Edison years before. The payment argument was Tesla and a manager.

Tesla and Edison wrote each other personal letters and spoke well of each other in public years later.

Edison was an asshole. Tesla's 'legend' is weird.

[–] samus12345@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Interesting, I even did quick search before posting that to see if I was right. Upon more searching, their rivalry does indeed seem to be more of an urban legend.

[–] turmacar@lemmy.world 4 points 6 months ago

It's definitely at least "Internet Lore" at this point? I mean the car company isn't a namesake for no reason. I don't want to give The Oatmeal too much credit but it seems to have been the meme generator for a lot of 'the legend' on the web, though it's been kind of a counter-culture staple basically since he died.

IDK, just one of those things that I got interested enough to read actual books about awhile ago and it's kind of scary how much "common knowledge" is more "common mythology".

[–] hakase@lemm.ee 2 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (2 children)

Here's a great in-depth video on Edison and his relationship with Tesla. It seems that Edison was actually remarkably progressive for the time in a lot of ways, and, while not perfect, he seems to have been a much better employer than many of his rivals.

Edit: Lol and then like ten hours after this comment they dropped a four and a half hour video going into much more detail about both.

[–] PipedLinkBot@feddit.rocks 5 points 6 months ago

Here is an alternative Piped link(s):

Here's a great in-depth video

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[–] KittyCat@lemmy.world 3 points 6 months ago

He was terrible as an employer by modern standards but at the time he was among the best, the gilded age sucked.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 0 points 6 months ago (2 children)

Agreed on Tesla's legend. Telsa was terrified of fat women and talked to pigeons. He also didn't even understand the concept of transistors, let alone microchips. And yet we're supposed to believe he invented all these amazing things that approach magic in their abilities and utility?

[–] Jarix@lemmy.world 7 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

What are you on about?!

Tesla died a poor man 4 years before bell labs created the first transistor.

The microchip was invented about 15 years after he died.

Perhaps he would have understood or even created these concepts if he had the funding he probably should have given his remarkable successes and contributions to the entire field of electrical engineering when he was still able to contribute. But unlikely sure. Not why you sre saying these weird things

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 0 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Why would he have understood those concepts before they were invented just because people gave him money?

[–] Jarix@lemmy.world 3 points 6 months ago (2 children)

He was not able to effectively continue to experiment and research. Because he may have worked with some of the people who worked on those projects, or at least had a connection to them, and also he may have lived a hell of a lot longer if he wasnt poor. Its not good for your health

So if he didnt get screwed over the way he did he would have lived differently.

Also a concept can exist decades before it is proven.

Dude had a brilliant mind and was a genius. Money allows you to persue the things you want in a way that being poor simply does not allow.

Is this really something you needed explained?

[–] Tnaeriv@sopuli.xyz 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

And how was Tesla 'screwed over' exactly?

He WAS rich for a long time. He died poor because he lost all the money on his 'wireless electricity' idea that noone wanted to fund, because they knew it's not going to work. Tesla didn't know that. You know why? Because he sucked ass at physics. That's also why he would have never understood the concept of a transistor.

Please stop spreading misinformation about Tesla being some misunderstood genius screwed over by greedy corporations. He was not. He screwed himself over.

[–] Jarix@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

I dont believe i am spreading misinformation

Marconi became rich and famous, the “inventor of the radio.” It didn’t matter that he had been using Tesla’s technology. After Tesla’s death, the Supreme Court would even rule that Tesla had a better claim to the patents — but it was too late.

His loss in the race for the radio would send Nikola Tesla on a long downward spiral from which he would never recover. Combined with his other failures and his struggles with what we would probably identify today as obsessive-compulsive disorder, Tesla descended into a tailspin at the end of his life.

My opinion about him getting screwed is this. You will have to show me this is misinformation if you want me to change my mind as believing this is my kyptonite if im wrong. But I havent seen anyone prove this wrong yet.

You honestly have a chance to change my mind here if you are willing to help me out, but ive put what i consider a reasonable effort into forming my opinion so its now on you to show me the error of my ways and im giving you the spot I think is easiest.

Ball is in your court friend

Edit: adding source i quoted from. Fyi its just the first article i found after the above reply to quote with, it is not the only reading that forms my opinion

[–] Tnaeriv@sopuli.xyz 2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

You kind of stumped me at first, didn't think you were referencing Marconi. I was almost ready to give in, but then I went looking for that court judgment. I believe it's this one. Lemme just quote you one fragment of the attached opinion:

Marconi's reputation as the man who first achieved successful radio transmission rests on his original patent, which became reissue No. 11,913, and which is not here in question. That reputation, however well deserved, does not entitle him to a patent for every later improvement which he claims in the radio field.

It seems like this case wasn't about his original patent whatsoever, only his later claimed improvement to it. Yes, the later one was invalidated, but the original was not. And it also looks like they focus more on patents of Stone and Lodge, only sporadically mentioning Tesla. They even state that wireless communication wasn't even the primary purpose of the Tesla aparatus, it was actually for his wireless energy stuff, altough he did mention it could be used for that.

So I stand by my opinion. Marconi didn't really screw over Tesla, altough it seems he did screw over Stone and Lodge.

Altough I admit I might be wrong, it's very hard to look up anything on Tesla and get objective results. Also, after spending an hour reading a 70 year old court case about patent infringment I decided I should probably find something better to do with my time and can't be fucking bothered anymore.

[–] Jarix@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

You have much better patience than me. Appreciate your efforts friend

Stay sane out there

Edit: forgot to say thank you so, thanks for you and the effort you put in here

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world -1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

"He was a genius" does not equal "he would have invented something that hadn't been invented yet if he had the money to do so."

Do you even have any evidence that he was working along those lines?

[–] Jarix@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

I said perhaps understand the concept, not invent it. So no i dont have any evidence for something i never claimed.

Wtf is wrong with you.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 0 points 6 months ago

Okay, sure. He might have understood the concept of genetics too. But he didn't, so that's not relevant.

[–] turmacar@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

"Lets turn the Ionosphere and the Mantel into the halves of a capacitor! Free energy!" is Bond villain territory.