Journalist writes an open letter to the world about our Elon Musk problem

https://www.datalounge.com/thread/34642131-journalist-writes-an-open-letter-to-the-world-about-our-elon-musk-problem

Posts it on X.

Dear world,

We have an Elon Problem.

He’s very rich. And powerful. Unprecedented amounts of both are concentrated in his hands alone. He owns and controls a media empire of paid rightwing propagandists. And a battery car and remote driving company. And a brain implant company. And a satellite company. And a spaceship company. And an AI company. And an infrastructure company. Those pieces connect in alarming ways potentially.

He’s basically too rich and powerful to be subjected to normal oversight or even the rule of law possibly. He has politicians lining up to kiss his ass and curry his favor and get him to move to their state or mine their land. He really is kind of like an Avenger in the sense that he’s unconstrained by any one nation and is his own nation-state effectively and capable of great good or serious damage.

And according to him he’s on a crusade against what he sees as progressive forces aligned against him (and going to Mars) and he’s really mad at “woke.” He doesn’t always play well with others and doesn’t always take no for an answer. He has some deep emotional issues. He can be unpredictable and rash and has been known to hold some grudges. He has reportedly estranged some of his loved ones. He’s sired 11 kids but doesn’t seem to live with any of them. And he has basically declared a culture war on the mainstream press and the current political leadership in much of the world.

He’s presently taking over Western politics and trying to install as America’s president a man who attacked the US Capitol and was previously aided and abetted in taking power by a hostile foreign enemy of the world and dictator. That man Elon wants to put in the White House is also on trial for and has been convicted of various crimes. And his campaign is being propped up financially by Elon and a handful of other billionaires he will owe his power to should Elon’s push to help install him works.

Elon’s also embroiled in various lawsuits and legal battles with some of his competitors and those he believes are are trying to impede him in some way.

There’s one of two endings here: Elon gets everything he wants and rules the world and maybe he’s nice about it. Or he doesn’t and we remain not ruled by an oligarch-prince crusading against “woke” in a suicidal quest to Mars to save the world he’s taken over.

I wish none of this was true but it’s happening and too many people are ignoring it. Or jockeying for position in the New Elon World. I like current world and I’m happy to be sharing it with Elon and the many wonderful contributions he’s made to it. But I don’t think we should just give it to him or anyone else entirely.

Good luck. God bless.