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Because it's not his 'fuck you' money but the supposed hopes and dreams of all those who believe he is some wonderful 'capital allocator'. Bullshi!t proven. I

• moistly 4y ago
  > the support for him is cult like Don’t think for a moment that he does not pay a team of promotionists. Every public forum is monitored and “influenced.” He is not a completely stupid person and he obviously understands social media. Of course many of those in this very thread that argue against those who say “bad things” about Musk are being engaged by his paid mouthpieces. It is very much in his best interests to spend pocket change amounts to counter all criticism. It is absurd to think otherwise.
  • JoshCole 4y ago
    moistly, I think you are in an epistemic pit because you think misleading others is smart. Notice that you don't present evidence that everything is monitored and influenced, because it isn't an evidence rooted belief. Notice that you think that influence on social media is intelligent, that misinformation is clever, and that countering criticism rather than entertaining it is wisdom - you call it absurd to not counter criticism at the end of your post. On the basis of these things you think that smart people must be doing it and since you consider Elon smart you think he is doing it. The problem is, being smart and thinking misleading people via online influence is smart aren't the same thing. moistly, in mistaking intelligence for oppression, I think you are dooming yourself into accepting a potentially false belief. Many very intelligent people value integrity. You asks us not to think for even a moment. Fuck that. What happens when we do? The finances at Tesla are public knowledge because it a public company. They don't have an advertising department. It seems reasonable that Elon might not believe in paid promotions as much as some people. So a reasonable person might entertain the thought that -- and now we've transgressed your command to not think for even a moment. > Of course many of those in this very thread that argue against those who say “bad things” about Musk are being engaged by his paid mouthpieces. I'm not being paid by Elon Musk to post this. I publicly declare right now that I will retract my assertion that you are trapped in an epistemic pit and give you one hundred dollars if you can prove that at least four people in this thread are being paid by Elon Musk to counteract criticism. I will welcome this public disgrace if you teach me better, because I strongly believe that accepting criticism from you so that my beliefs are more accurate is not absurd, but of great benefit to me.
    • moistly 4y ago
      LOL, go ahead and believe what you wish. More the fool you, though, if you naïvely believe that the ultra-wealthy don’t manage their public image!
      • native_samples 4y ago
        You're retreating from your original claim that Musk specifically pays people to "monitor and influence public forums" and in particular this forum. Now someone else pointed out that this is nonsense, you're retreating to the bailey of "wealth people manage their public image" which is a much weaker claim.
        • moistly 4y ago
          It’s the same claim! Since the time of pharaohs those with power and money have paid informers and influencers to keep their ear to the ground and to promote their benefactor. It’s a well-established industry. Hollywood makes extensive use of it, Scientology infamously so, politicians the same, and sure as god made little green apples, Musk’s cult-like evangelists are helped along their path by the ministrations of professional influencers. You can’t say Musk farted without some toady sycophant popping up to say that it smells like roses. It’s bizarre and unnatural, and Occam’s razor says that it’s hired help.
          • JoshCole 4y ago
            Claim 1: > Of course many of those in this very thread that argue against those who say “bad things” about Musk are being engaged by his paid mouthpieces. Claim 2 > More the fool you, though, if you naïvely believe that the ultra-wealthy don’t manage their public image! In one you claim that people in this thread are doing it. In the other you claim that it is a thing which is done. These are two different claims. You think people who disagree with you are fools, because you think misleading others is wisdom. I think you can escape, because I think you know that Putin is a moron. Do you agree that it was stupid of him to spread misinformation, ultimately resulting in deception prospering so much so that he lost sight of the truth, leading to ruin? If it was stupid for Putin, then why can't it be stupid for others? Look, you point to Pharaoh. He is dead, his empire is dead, and his fancy pyramid didn't help him. You point to politicians - Hitler killed himself. You point to Scientology - do you think them clever and wise, that they have the truth; I don't. Why are you pointing at idiots? Why are you pointing at dead men? Why do you think they are so clever? If you had evidence that people were being paid, you wouldn't need to point to unwise dead men! Get out of the pit. Where is the oppression you claim? Where are the people being paid? Where is your evidence? Show me a check. Show me a paystub! Show me an account name which can be hired through an online service. Show me that I'm wrong that your beliefs are not rooted in your preconception that it is wise to mislead. I confess that I believe that it isn't absurd to be corrected. Criticize me! Point out my flaws! I will be better for it. I am not talking about claim 2. I am talking about claim 1. Also, from the Hacker News site guidelines: > Please don't post insinuations about astroturfing, shilling, bots, brigading, foreign agents and the like. It degrades discussion and is usually mistaken. If you're worried about abuse, email hn@ycombinator.com and we'll look at the data. > Comments should get more thoughtful and substantive, not less, as a topic gets more divisive.