Titan Sub Disaster | No Risk, No Reward?
4/21/202625 min
Is the genius American innovator just a myth? In this special episode of American Scandal, tech journalists Mark Harris and Kara Swisher, and former CEO and author Safi Bahcall unpack the dangerous allure of this narrative, and how Stockton Rush and OceanGate were far from the only examples.
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First 90 secondsLindsay Graham· Host0:00
[dramatic music] From Audible Originals, I'm Lindsay Graham, and this is American Scandal. [upbeat music] Stockton Rush cast himself as a visionary, as a rule breaker. Through his company, OceanGate, he set out to open an untapped market in deep sea tourism and change underwater exploration forever.
Stockton Rush· Soundbite0:43
I think it was General MacArthur said, "You're remembered for the rules you break." And, you know, I've broken some rules to make this. I think I've broken them with, with logic and good engineering behind me.
Lindsay Graham· Host0:53
But in pursuing that dream, he allowed hubris to override safety. He dismissed regulators as unimaginative bureaucrats, and argued formal safety certification was nothing more than an obstacle to progress.
Mark Harris· Guest1:06
He was extremely stubborn, extremely stubborn. I think he felt he had absolute license, that this company was his creation, and that ultimately his decision was the only one that mattered.
Lindsay Graham· Host1:18
Rush's bravado eventually led to disaster when he and four of his passengers were killed on an excursion to the Titanic in June 2023. But his attitude towards risk