Apartheid was a system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa from 1948 to the early 1990s. The word is derived from Afrikaans and means “apartness.” Apartheid policies were implemented by the National Party government, predominantly composed of white Afrikaners. The regime sought to enforce a rigid racial hierarchy, segregating South Africa’s diverse population into distinct racial groups. These groups were subjected to different legal, social, and economic standards, and the Black majority faced severe discrimination. Apartheid laws regulated every aspect of life, including housing, education, employment, and public services, perpetuating systemic racial inequality and injustice. The policy faced international condemnation that contributed to its dismantling in the early 1990s, marking a significant turning point in South Africa’s history. Isaacson mentions apartheid when describing the conditions of Musk’s childhood. Musk’s early years were shaped by the apartheid era; he was born in South Africa in 1971 and left for the United States in the late 1980s.

The term “Asperger’s” is now considered outdated in the diagnostic landscape, but while it was in usage, Asperger’s syndrome was defined as a developmental disorder characterized by challenges in social interaction, repetitive behaviors, and a strong focus on specific interests. It was considered a milder form of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and was named after Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger, who first identified the condition in the 1940s.