"Tesla has plummeted 56.5% over the past three months through Friday, while the S&P 500 has gained 5.4%" Much of Tesla's value was propped up by the personal b

"Tesla has plummeted 56.5% over the past three months through Friday, while the S&P 500 has gained 5.4%" Much of Tesla's value was propped up by the personal brand of Elon Musk. And he has done significant damage to that brand, over the last few months, as he's courted a far-right extremist following. That has changed how most people look at him. Certainly many of the people who buy Tesla's are a bit left-of-center, and don't want to buy from a guy who they perceive as being far-right. The question is why Musk felt the need to be so public with his views. Every single CEO of a car company is a Republican, but they are not so loud about it. Why didn't Musk simply act like other CEOs and keep his conservative politics quiet and somewhat hidden? For a CEO, keeping one's politics hidden is the norm for a good reason. That Musk prioritizes self-expression over good business practices suggests he is currently in a mental space that would be appropriate for an artist but not a CEO. If he wants to engage in self-expression, he has the money that he can retire from his jobs and devote the rest of his life to advocacy. But it's a mistake to combine advocacy with being a CEO.