In politics, economics, and even art, everything is allowed – from manipulation to bold promises that sound like science fiction movie scripts. Trump's announcements and "shocks" often resemble the techniques of Elon Musk, who, with the promise of colonizing Mars, not only created a technological empire, but also forced us to believe in the impossible. But this is nothing new. Throughout history, many leaders have set seemingly absurd demands – and then achieved or even exceeded them.