19 ms·

Can’t help to notice the sudden hate of the administration for anything Elon Musk related since the change of administration.

throwawaysea 6y ago
Something strange I have noticed in the last couple years on leftist social media is the contempt harbored by some for Musk. I can’t quite place it but it feels like a mix of envy and a hatred of success, in part because he seems like proof that capitalism works. I think the emphasis on his character flaws - which we all have - is disproportionate and frankly totally irrelevant considering the scale of his achievements. But he is a centrist not a progressive, he solves problems within the framework of capitalism, and he has an aggressive disregard for the norms of society. That makes him a target for those who are ideologically committed, dislike market driven economies, and favor big government/centralized restrictions. Those sentiments have increasingly bled into the Democratic Party as it has lurched leftward. I’m not sure if this is it, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see this administration try to reign him in. And when it happens, I wonder how news media and society will perceive it. Will they compare it to the relationship between China and Jack Ma? Or will they view these actions as virtuous, moral, and therefore justified?
- worik 6y ago
  "mix of envy and a hatred of success" No. It is distrust of such a erratic self loving obsessive fool. Yes he is very smart, and is capable of assembling teams of fantastic engineers. But he cannot shut up. If it is tweeting jokes about taking Tesla private, slandering peopel who are doing the dangerous work and do not want his foolish interference (pedo guy), advocating (Dog help us!) Bitcoin. The lawsuits against whistle blowers. And here: his tolerance of fatal failures in his technology in favour of marketing and cash flow. "aggressive disregard for the norms of society": If it were thought through and considered it would not be such a problem. If he were less intelligent, less driven, it would be less of a problem. He is a fool. But a fool with a big stick. And that is a very dangerous thing
  - throwawaysea 6y ago
    You’re exaggerating the impact or importance of a few minor negative incidents against world changing achievements. He’s far from a fool and saying these incidents make him a “very dangerous thing” just seems silly.
- BluSyn 6y ago
  If you pay attention it's been created by a carefully constructed narrative by certain media outlets. The switch to anti-tech and anti-billionaire biases was surprisingly swift, and few seemed to even notice. Add to that the complete removal of nuance from news reports, and any platforms (eg, Clubhouse / Podcasts) that attempt to add in nuance are either ignored/treated as fringe, or out-right demonized.
- heavyset_go 6y ago
  You don't need a media conspiracy to tarnish Elon Musk's reputation, because Musk is the same man who used his platform to reach millions of people and call a literal hero who helped save children's lives a pedophile several times[1]. [1] https://www.the-sun.com/news/126445/who-is-vernon-unsworth-thailand-cave-diver-dubbed-paedo-guy-by-elon-musk/ https://www.the-sun.com/news/126445/who-is-vernon-unsworth-t...
  - throwawaysea 6y ago
    Yea those insults did seem unfounded and unnecessary. But considering his genius, economic success, and positive impact on the world, it just doesn’t seem anywhere near enough to color his overall reputation negatively. Everyone has incidents like this in their life where they got mad at someone, said things they shouldn’t have, etc. To pretend otherwise would not just be everyday hubris, but a bold faced lie. So is it that every human is irredeemable and has a tarnished reputation or can we consider the whole of people like Musk and acknowledge that yes, they are extraordinary?
    - leetcrew 6y ago
      pedophilia is a very serious accusation to make. everyone makes mistakes, but most of us don't make mistakes like that. musk has done some really great things, but it's gonna take a bit more to make me forget that he attempted to ruin a heroic man's life because he saved the children before musk had a chance to deploy his inflatable tube.
    - ncallaway 6y ago
      My take is that he's extremely good at some things, but overall just a mean, vindictive person. I think we can acknowledge that people are complex animals and that someone can be amazing at some things and terrible at others. I think Elon regularly fails to meet my expectations of how we should treat other people. He regularly exceeds my expectations as the CEO of a launch services company.
      - ncallaway 6y ago
- kergonath 6y ago
  Because he’s a twat. Unrepentantly and quite ostensibly so. There you go, nothing mysterious about it.
  - throwawaysea 6y ago
    Everyone has some character flaws, some gaffes, some negative anecdotes. Focusing on those and calling him a “twat” is just a ridiculous characterization when you consider what’s he’s achieved and how positive those achievements are for the world. So yes it remains mysterious why there are so many people ready to show their hate for him. And the only feasible explanations are envy or political/ideological motivation.
    - sect2k 6y ago
      Which positive achievements are we talking about exactly?
      - xedeon 6y ago
        Just to name a few: Zip2 Corporation SpaceX Tesla Motors SolarCity The Boring Company Hyperloop Open AI Neuralink
        FireBeyond 6y ago
        What exactly has Hyperloop "achieved"? It offers the same benefit as Maglev with massively inflated costs and far less comfortable passenger experience.
        sect2k 6y ago
        I didn't ask which companies he has/had a stake in, I'm asking what the supposed positive achievements for humanity are? Don't bother, there really aren't any. Musk is not your real-life Tony Stark, he's a real life Hugo Drax.
        xedeon 6y ago
- axguscbklp 6y ago
  Didn't Musk grow up in a wealthy family? If so, his success isn't much proof that capitalism works meritocratically, although it's still evidence that capitalism works. Not that I need to be convinced of that, I'm pretty sure already that capitalism works better than the known alternatives. Yeah I definitely agree, some of the hate for Musk comes from hate of capitalism and of the wealthy. I think that some of it also probably comes from his flirting with 4chan-esque trolling, like his talking about the red pill, etc. I think it's funny and refreshing but some cultural leftists get triggered by it. I think you can tell I'm not exactly an Elon Musk hater, but that said... let's get real, the guy is a con artist. He has accomplished a lot of genuine things but he is also a con artist. >I think the emphasis on his character flaws - which we all have - is disproportionate and frankly totally irrelevant considering the scale of his achievements. He sells driving assistance technology as "Full Self-Driving". I give him full credit for his genuine achievements but I'm not going to ignore that he is also a con artist.
  - xedeon 6y ago
    > Didn't Musk grow up in a wealthy family? No. That's a false narrative. He arrived in North America with $2,000 worth of savings a backpack and a suitcase full of books. He also paid his way through college. According to Ashlee Vance's book: "Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future"
  - nickik 6y ago
    His father was a pretty wealthy engineer and they certainty were among the richer people in South Africa. However, his father didn't like him wanting to go to the US so he didn't pay for it. Musk had to work threw university. Later his father invested some money into Zip2. > He sells driving assistance technology as "Full Self-Driving". I give him full credit for his genuine achievements but I'm not going to ignore that he is also a con artist. If you actually buy the car you see an exact description of what the feature does currently, what they think it will do in a couple of months and that you will get updates in order to get full self driving. The money is not counted as revenue for the company because they have not delivered the features. See from the website: Full Self-Driving Capability $10,000 Navigate on Autopilot Auto Lane Change Autopark Summon Full Self-Driving Computer Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control Coming later this year Autosteer on city streets The currently enabled features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous. The activation and use of these features are dependent on achieving reliability far in excess of human drivers as demonstrated by billions of miles of experience, as well as regulatory approval, which may take longer in some jurisdictions. As these self-driving features evolve, your car will be continuously upgraded through over-the-air software updates.

throwawaysea 6y ago

Something strange I have noticed in the last couple years on leftist social media is the contempt harbored by some for Musk. I can’t quite place it but it feels like a mix of envy and a hatred of success, in part because he seems like proof that capitalism works. I think the emphasis on his character flaws - which we all have - is disproportionate and frankly totally irrelevant considering the scale of his achievements. But he is a centrist not a progressive, he solves problems within the framework of capitalism, and he has an aggressive disregard for the norms of society. That makes him a target for those who are ideologically committed, dislike market driven economies, and favor big government/centralized restrictions. Those sentiments have increasingly bled into the Democratic Party as it has lurched leftward. I’m not sure if this is it, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see this administration try to reign him in. And when it happens, I wonder how news media and society will perceive it. Will they compare it to the relationship between China and Jack Ma? Or will they view these actions as virtuous, moral, and therefore justified?

worik 6y ago
"mix of envy and a hatred of success" No. It is distrust of such a erratic self loving obsessive fool. Yes he is very smart, and is capable of assembling teams of fantastic engineers. But he cannot shut up. If it is tweeting jokes about taking Tesla private, slandering peopel who are doing the dangerous work and do not want his foolish interference (pedo guy), advocating (Dog help us!) Bitcoin. The lawsuits against whistle blowers. And here: his tolerance of fatal failures in his technology in favour of marketing and cash flow. "aggressive disregard for the norms of society": If it were thought through and considered it would not be such a problem. If he were less intelligent, less driven, it would be less of a problem. He is a fool. But a fool with a big stick. And that is a very dangerous thing
- throwawaysea 6y ago
  You’re exaggerating the impact or importance of a few minor negative incidents against world changing achievements. He’s far from a fool and saying these incidents make him a “very dangerous thing” just seems silly.
BluSyn 6y ago
If you pay attention it's been created by a carefully constructed narrative by certain media outlets. The switch to anti-tech and anti-billionaire biases was surprisingly swift, and few seemed to even notice. Add to that the complete removal of nuance from news reports, and any platforms (eg, Clubhouse / Podcasts) that attempt to add in nuance are either ignored/treated as fringe, or out-right demonized.
heavyset_go 6y ago
You don't need a media conspiracy to tarnish Elon Musk's reputation, because Musk is the same man who used his platform to reach millions of people and call a literal hero who helped save children's lives a pedophile several times[1]. [1] https://www.the-sun.com/news/126445/who-is-vernon-unsworth-thailand-cave-diver-dubbed-paedo-guy-by-elon-musk/ https://www.the-sun.com/news/126445/who-is-vernon-unsworth-t...
- throwawaysea 6y ago
  Yea those insults did seem unfounded and unnecessary. But considering his genius, economic success, and positive impact on the world, it just doesn’t seem anywhere near enough to color his overall reputation negatively. Everyone has incidents like this in their life where they got mad at someone, said things they shouldn’t have, etc. To pretend otherwise would not just be everyday hubris, but a bold faced lie. So is it that every human is irredeemable and has a tarnished reputation or can we consider the whole of people like Musk and acknowledge that yes, they are extraordinary?
  - leetcrew 6y ago
    pedophilia is a very serious accusation to make. everyone makes mistakes, but most of us don't make mistakes like that. musk has done some really great things, but it's gonna take a bit more to make me forget that he attempted to ruin a heroic man's life because he saved the children before musk had a chance to deploy his inflatable tube.
  - ncallaway 6y ago
    My take is that he's extremely good at some things, but overall just a mean, vindictive person. I think we can acknowledge that people are complex animals and that someone can be amazing at some things and terrible at others. I think Elon regularly fails to meet my expectations of how we should treat other people. He regularly exceeds my expectations as the CEO of a launch services company.
    - ncallaway 6y ago
kergonath 6y ago
Because he’s a twat. Unrepentantly and quite ostensibly so. There you go, nothing mysterious about it.
- throwawaysea 6y ago
  Everyone has some character flaws, some gaffes, some negative anecdotes. Focusing on those and calling him a “twat” is just a ridiculous characterization when you consider what’s he’s achieved and how positive those achievements are for the world. So yes it remains mysterious why there are so many people ready to show their hate for him. And the only feasible explanations are envy or political/ideological motivation.
  - sect2k 6y ago
    Which positive achievements are we talking about exactly?
    - xedeon 6y ago
      Just to name a few: Zip2 Corporation SpaceX Tesla Motors SolarCity The Boring Company Hyperloop Open AI Neuralink
      - FireBeyond 6y ago
        What exactly has Hyperloop "achieved"? It offers the same benefit as Maglev with massively inflated costs and far less comfortable passenger experience.
      - sect2k 6y ago
        I didn't ask which companies he has/had a stake in, I'm asking what the supposed positive achievements for humanity are? Don't bother, there really aren't any. Musk is not your real-life Tony Stark, he's a real life Hugo Drax.
        xedeon 6y ago
axguscbklp 6y ago
Didn't Musk grow up in a wealthy family? If so, his success isn't much proof that capitalism works meritocratically, although it's still evidence that capitalism works. Not that I need to be convinced of that, I'm pretty sure already that capitalism works better than the known alternatives. Yeah I definitely agree, some of the hate for Musk comes from hate of capitalism and of the wealthy. I think that some of it also probably comes from his flirting with 4chan-esque trolling, like his talking about the red pill, etc. I think it's funny and refreshing but some cultural leftists get triggered by it. I think you can tell I'm not exactly an Elon Musk hater, but that said... let's get real, the guy is a con artist. He has accomplished a lot of genuine things but he is also a con artist. >I think the emphasis on his character flaws - which we all have - is disproportionate and frankly totally irrelevant considering the scale of his achievements. He sells driving assistance technology as "Full Self-Driving". I give him full credit for his genuine achievements but I'm not going to ignore that he is also a con artist.
- xedeon 6y ago
  > Didn't Musk grow up in a wealthy family? No. That's a false narrative. He arrived in North America with $2,000 worth of savings a backpack and a suitcase full of books. He also paid his way through college. According to Ashlee Vance's book: "Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future"
- nickik 6y ago
  His father was a pretty wealthy engineer and they certainty were among the richer people in South Africa. However, his father didn't like him wanting to go to the US so he didn't pay for it. Musk had to work threw university. Later his father invested some money into Zip2. > He sells driving assistance technology as "Full Self-Driving". I give him full credit for his genuine achievements but I'm not going to ignore that he is also a con artist. If you actually buy the car you see an exact description of what the feature does currently, what they think it will do in a couple of months and that you will get updates in order to get full self driving. The money is not counted as revenue for the company because they have not delivered the features. See from the website: Full Self-Driving Capability $10,000 Navigate on Autopilot Auto Lane Change Autopark Summon Full Self-Driving Computer Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control Coming later this year Autosteer on city streets The currently enabled features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous. The activation and use of these features are dependent on achieving reliability far in excess of human drivers as demonstrated by billions of miles of experience, as well as regulatory approval, which may take longer in some jurisdictions. As these self-driving features evolve, your car will be continuously upgraded through over-the-air software updates.