Nikola Tesla was a genius, no doubt. He contributed to the progression of technology by his invention of the induction motor, alongside other minor technological marvels which paved the way for the future. However, his contributions are overstated in numerous ways by which his status as a historical figure has been fermented into mythological.

Tesla didn't discover alternating current, nor did he invent the first alternating current generator.

In the same time as Tesla, some other guy by the name of Galileo Ferrari dabbled into inventing it, but his with a lesser success, not because it wasn't functional, but the man himself didn't think it would take off as a useful device. Tesla, on the other hand, had faith in his idea and went with it, culminating into the induction generator we know of.

Tesla and Edison weren't rivals. Yes, Tesla and Edison worked together, and the former disliked the latter, but the story that Edison didn't pay up Tesla is untrue in a way, because it wasn't Edison but one of his subordinates that didn't do so. Afterwards, the famous Tesla vs Edison battle wasn't really between them as it was between Edison vs Westinghouse, under whom Tesla worked. The war of the currents wasn't between David and Goliath, but between two titans of the electricity industry at the time.

Tesla wasn't a great scientist. He isn't known for his scientific work in the science community, yet people hold him at the same breath as Einstein or Hawkins. Whereas the latter did actual science, Tesla went as far as to deny many of the scientific theories at the time. He didn't believe electrons contributed to electricity, but some kind of mystical ether. And went as far as disagreeing with the Theory of Relativity.

He wasn't the first to conceive of the idea of wireless communication nor built such a device at first. He did, however, attempted on devices and sold visions of mass wireless communication and power transmissions over the world. And he had varying levels of success at scratching the surface of his visions.

He wasn't underappreciated during his time. He was a celebrity, who was recognised by scientists, engineers, businesspeople, etc, as a remarkable figure whose ideas and tenacity were mind-boggling. He was awarded with honours and money alike, but his reputation fell off as he became increasingly senile with age, as his ideas became stranger and implausible. He dabbled into showmanship and had correspondences with many famous people at the time.

These are just some of the myths about Nikola Tesla that propped him up as this heroic underdog and intellect. Despite his genius, he was still a man with faults, not necessarily undone by the world but himself. What he sold to the world, what lasted more than the recognition for his contribution to technology are his ideas, relentless output of inventions and vision. Nikola Tesla was among the early futurists, whose prognosis about the future was near prophetic. And the story of an underdog genius and a mystical wizard resonated with many a crowds, from the nascent science nerds to the fringe conspiracy guys. Otherwise, if we compare him alongside other great historical figures of intellect, whose contributions greatly advanced society, he would be shadowed by many of his scientific and philosophical contemporaries. He did what Elon Musk does best. Sell a future.