59 Comments
User's avatar
Rickey Woody's avatar

When people show you who they are, believe them.

Musk is an autocrat, he is not a genius, he is a leech, feeding off the genius and work of others.

Geoff Anderson's avatar

You forgot massive government subsidies. Without that, Tesla would have gone kaput in 2011, and SpaceX would not have launched.

The man is the face of a welfare queen

Trevor Deke Bajus's avatar

None of them are geniuses - Musk, Bezos, Zuckerberg. They are all rich kids, backed by con artists who have been gaming the system.

VALERIE MELUSKEY's avatar

Yes, the story of the two men who spent years perfecting what became the Tesla car, and how Musk was able to buy the fruits of their labor and make a fortune reveals a great deal of what Musk should and shouldn't get credit for.

Sheri Smith's avatar

Let’s call him a tick. He rather resembles one.

Joseph Mangano's avatar

I was wondering if Elon Musk was censoring Erdogan and Modi criticism purely on ideological lines (while also being hypocritical about free speech), but it's oddly reassuring to read about his business deals in Turkey and India. When there's money to be made, rest assured men like Musk will chase it no matter the damage it might cause.

Susan A's avatar

Yep, follow the money, as they say. We should also not forget that China is a source of much of Musk's wealth generating potential as well. Xi's right hand man and arguably the second most powerful person in China Li Qiang promoted and oversaw the building of the Tesla factory in Shanghai that drives much of Tesla's income. It is guaranteed that Li will seek to collect payback from Musk at some point, and Twitter is the perfect vehicle for this.

JustRaven's avatar

Had to giggle here... Twitter being the *vehicle* to *drive* Tesla's income...

Adam's avatar

In the headlines of history:

Elon Musk uses Twitter to facilitate State Sponsored Terror!

(because profit means more than any f-ing thing or any f-ing one of you)

The preceding message was sponsored by; Tesla Corporation, Starlink and Erdogan Partners (a limited liability corporation) in a special partnership with Twitter and others.

George's avatar

We should know who and what Musk is and about. Drop Twitter now.

Trevor Deke Bajus's avatar

I quit Twitter 6 years ago, have never regretted it.

Hazel's avatar

I say more than ever. Twitter needs you. Fight the good fight.

VALERIE MELUSKEY's avatar

But, Twitter is so "easy" to use, and the other options seem complicated (especially Mastodon).

VALERIE MELUSKEY's avatar

I appreciate being able to access everyone from Biden to CNN to all of our elected officials...and giving them my questions and input.

Jake G.'s avatar

Musk is a terrible person. He is not for free speech at all. He does what benefits himself. An elitist in every sense of the word. Only doing things to benefit himself and increase his wealth.

Jan's avatar

Musk is showing how he goes about getting his wealth. He is no genius. He blunders his way along with his businesses and is more than happy to comply when there’s money involved. He took advantage of breaks he got through the US government and turns around and happily does business with despotic regimes if he can make a buck. I hope he one day meets an appropriate end.

Randi C's avatar

Thank you for this story. Keep shining light on darkness.

Bonnie Canelakes's avatar

More evidence (based on further info) of what we The People assumed about Musk’s Twitter “Free Speech” policy. It’s bullshit. It’s whimsical. It’s whatever he decides when he decides. And descends further into madness with each day if my feed is any indication.

Judith L Hubbard's avatar

Exactly as I said in “polite speak”. Yours is more memorable!

D Kitterman's avatar

Musk is a chaos agent who cares not a wit about anything but his own self aggrandizing interests. Most amazing is how transparently he illustrates his complete indifference to his fellow humans.

He and the ever increasing population of filthy rich jerks is exhausting and at some point in time regular people will loudly say 'ENOUGH'.

Jan F's avatar

I am amazed Musk found someone to become a CEO. Like working for the man who shan't be named...it won't end well. Why folks listen to or follow someone like Musk, I will never understand. Stop using Twitter and starve the company.

Hazel's avatar

It has been the haven of Blue connection. I own no blue check. Me leaving won't starve him. His new CEO is after ad revenue. That's who left in droves.

Judith L Hubbard's avatar

Twitter’s selective censorship for the profit of the brands of Musk is deplorable and certainly not in alliance with any allegiance to free speech. He is doing irreparable harm to the citizens of nations seeking the truth for fair elections. May he be rewarded in a very negative way (expletives deleted) for interference in the process of governing elsewhere and in the coming elections in America in 2024. Ideally, his rockets will continue to blow up as his stock prices fall in all his financial interests. His allegiance is to whatever 💰💰💰 he holds on a given day, his hobbies, nothing more. He is likewise a narcissist caring not about the outcomes and welfare of others. Twitter will fall completely in time as selective approval of postings will not be tolerated as readers glean the whole stories elsewhere.

VALERIE MELUSKEY's avatar

Or, hopefully, someone without Musk's character flaws will buy and redeem Twitter.

Judith L Hubbard's avatar

Perhaps an entire Board of Responsible Directors and diverse shareholders.

Adam's avatar

They'll likely have to wrest it from his cold, dead hands.

Judith L Hubbard's avatar

Sadly, it is a bully’s pulpit.

Adam's avatar

What a clever and apt description. Yes. Agreed.

susan williams's avatar

Musk is just a "Mini-T"(rump).

Peter Pappas's avatar

In contrast: “Wikipedia was banned in Turkey for nearly three years, beginning in 2017, after it "refused to delete articles critical of the country's government." Instead, Wikipedia challenged the Turkish government's actions in court. In January 2020, Wikipedia won, and access was restored. Wales argued that Wikipedia's actions demonstrated what it "means to treat freedom of expression as a principle rather than a slogan."

Dave Thompson's avatar

Musk is simply one more in the long line of grifter high priests in the malvangelistic church of the malignant gospel of wealth and rapacious predatory capitalism. Humanity world wide has never figured out how to rid itself of these leaches.

VALERIE MELUSKEY's avatar

Yes, Erdogan has always been a cruel dictator; Musk has always actually been anti-free speech. [I find what each of these man have done over the years very upsetting--sometimes I have to walk away from these brilliant exposés...and then come back when I feel calmer.] Exposing the details of what damaging positions and actions each of them has taken is the best weapon for protection against their purely selfish and inhumane agendas (authoritarian fascism).

BabsPHL's avatar

Musk is in a crapshow of his own making. He dithers, deletes, changes his mind every few seconds. The only thing he cares about is recouping his disastrous purchase of Twitter. He's now in debt to the Turks with his SpaceX, Tesla deals, so of course he waffles - it's how he thinks and does business. His whole house of cards may soon implode unless cooler, smarter heads than his prevail. I can't help putting Musk and Trump in the same sad dump. Neither of them are fit to serve in any capacity. Anywhere.