Elon Musk and the Myth of the Charming Billionaire
On April 25th, tech giant and billionaire Elon Musk acquired Twitter in a 44 billion dollar deal, sparking fierce debate between Musk’s fans and the general public. Several anti-Musk tweets have gone viral, creating the impression that the majority of Twitter users are decidedly against the acquisition. However, among the majority of dissenters, Elon’s fans have only gotten more vocal on social media.
Some admirers describe him as a “Tony Stark” type; an ultra-rich anti-hero with a humorous edge. They enjoy his cynical jabs and tendency to stray away from the mainstream (such as his publicized relationship with alternative pop star Grimes,) hailing him as the “only good billionaire.” Diving into Musk’s internet presence, it’s not hard to see the roots of this superhero archetype.
From his appearance on popular comedy sketch show Saturday Night Live to his lively Twitter page, it’s clear that Musk has jokes. “Borderline too sexy,” reads one Tweet, alongside a portrait of King Louis XIV of France. It’s this kind of off-beat comedy that attracts fans, such as the 1.14 million-strong R/ElonMusk Subreddit. A quick glance at the Subreddit’s “Hot” (Trending) page reveals paragraphs of written praise, amidst full-size paintings of Mr. Musk. If one didn’t know any better, you could easily assume this is the fanbase of a pop star or famous actor. It leads one to wonder- do these people actually know who they’re supporting?
To indulge my curiosity, I posed a question on the Subreddit. “What is your favorite thing about Elon?” In total, I got 13 responses. The first answer- over 3 paragraphs long, encompassed the “pent-up desire to see American exceptionalism be more than simply a feeling, but a real life dominant force.” Apparently Musk, born in South Africa to a Canadian mother and South African father, showcases this idea perfectly. This individual proposes that if Elon Musk continues to conduct business ad infinitum he will become the world’s richest person “by such an astronomical margin that Wall Street needs to reconsider how they allocate capital and value companies, then perhaps humanity can survive long enough to see more than just planet Earth.”
From what I can surmise, this person theorizes that Elon Musk’s existence challenges capitalism to the extent that his continued business operations will eventually reform it. They acknowledge that his wealth is excessive, but point to “Wall Street” as the entity responsible for his hyperbolic fortune. This line of thought is unique, to say the least. Perusing the rest of the responses was mostly fruitless, as they all echoed the same kind of vaguely right-wing “you’re just mad he’s awesome” sentiment. As one commenter put it, “he helps people… and he flies. And he helps people.”
Among the multitudes of fans responding to my inquiry, some responses stuck out as dissidents. In my email inbox, a commenter advises me that I “won’t find any useful information here. […] They banned, downvoted, and doxxed/spammed people who think otherwise here in this subreddit. If you really want a p…” The email prompts me to view the reply in-app, where I discover that it has been removed.
Fans ignoring the wrongdoings of their favorite celebrity is no new phenomenon. However, Musk is more than your average predatory Hollywood resident. In 2016, it was revealed that Tesla was underpaying workers in hazardous conditions. In 2021, the National Labor Relations Board ruled that the company was in violation of labor laws by using illegal union-busting tactics. That’s only the tip of the iceberg. Tesla has been fighting allegations of unsafe working conditions for years, and the billionaire’s behavior has not helped its reputation. Business Insider recently revealed that SpaceX, Musk’s aerospace company, paid $250,000 to settle a sexual harassment suit against the billionaire. This falls in the same category as Tesla’s 2021 lawsuit over racist misconduct, the settlement of which totaled $137 million dollars. These incidents, and a myriad of other accusations, seem to fly over the heads of his devoted fans. “He’s his own, dorky self without compromises.”
It’s obvious that his fanbase is showing no signs of slowing down, even as his controversies pile up. At some point, one has to ask the question: are there any ethical billionaires? The answer, in this author’s opinion, is no. There is no way to acquire that amount of money in a way that is focused on bettering the human population. In fact, there is a minimal chance that any of them have anyone else’s interests in mind at all. Time and time again, we have seen billionaires melt under the spotlight as their reckless and predatory actions catch up with them. Musk is not the exception, as much as his supporters would like that to be true. He is simply a successor to Zuckerberg and Bezos. He is simply another white man doing whatever he wants with his exorbitant fortune, directly harming the working class in the name of increased profit. Although he is certainly more charismatic than some of his colleagues, the bottom line remains: benevolent billionaires don’t exist. They never have. The reason that some people allow themselves to be blinded by the façade of a quirky genius inventor who’s not like other rich people eludes me. As long as this continues to happen, the working class will unendingly be exploited; as workers and fans alike Stockholm syndrome themselves into believing that Elon Musk will take them all to Mars after a hard day’s work.
