Summary

The article critically examines Elon Musk's business practices, suggesting that he is a "grifter" who exploits his fanbase and government subsidies for personal gain, despite being perceived as a visionary by many in the tech industry.

Abstract

The author of the article expresses skepticism about Elon Musk's intentions, pointing out that Musk's actions, such as the manipulation of Dogecoin's value and his reliance on government funding while publicly opposing subsidies, indicate a pattern of self-enrichment at the expense of others. The article argues that Musk's fans, particularly those in the tech industry, are blind to his exploitative behavior, which includes tax avoidance and a disregard for the ethical implications of his business decisions. The author also touches on the lack of diversity and inclusivity in the tech industry, which they suggest is reflected in Musk's conduct and the culture of the tech community that idolizes him.

Opinions

Elon Musk is criticized for his role in the Dogecoin market, where he allegedly engaged in a "pump and dump" scheme, causing financial loss to his followers who trusted his endorsement.
The author accuses Musk of hypocrisy for accepting billions in government subsidies while publicly opposing such financial aid, particularly in the context of his opposition to the billionaire tax and his desire to minimize corporate taxes.
Musk's personal brand is seen as a "revenge of the nerds" fantasy come true, which appeals to a certain demographic within the tech industry that admires his wealth, influence, and lifestyle.
The tech industry's lack of diversity and representation is highlighted, with the suggestion that Musk's behavior perpetuates a culture that marginalizes women, black, and Latinx individuals.
Despite acknowledging the potential benefits of Musk's ventures in electric vehicles and sustainable energy, the author maintains that these contributions do not absolve him of unethical practices and a trail of negative impacts on those around him.
The article warns Musk's supporters, or "Musk bros," that their admiration may be misplaced, as they could be the next victims of his alleged grifting.

I’m Wondering When Tech Bros Will Realize Elon Musk Is Grifting Them

No, he’s not your buddy. No, he’s not the best version of you. He’s a ruthless businessman and he’s playing you like a fiddle.

Elon Musk is dead set on buying Twitter, no matter what the price.

Why? Because it’s one of the only social media venues to actually ban and report people who are doling out hate speech. It’s the only venue to ban Donald Trump and actively work on hate speech filters.

For people who are liberal like me, this comes as no surprise. I mean, the conservative world has not been able to replicate Twitter’s success with Gab or Parler or GETTR or any of the other platforms. It makes sense that they’d just buy it.

Personally, I’ll probably faze out my Twitter use the moment they stop allowing porn. Then, I’ll join Mastodon because I like my social media without hate speech propaganda. I truly believe Twitter is going to tank.

To a point, all of this is kind of expected. However, it never ceases to shock me how many of his fanboys tend to support everything and anything he does. There’s where I’m thrown for a loop. Can’t they see that he’s a serial grifter?

Guys, Elon Musk is a grifter.

Remember when Elon Musk pumped up Dogecoin then sold them all? Everyone in the cryptosphere was on that stuff like white on rice. Dogecoin went up, up, up…and then Musk sold it all at a massive profit and he called it “a hustle.”

This sent the price of Dogecoin into a downward spiral that never really recovered. He then bought more and let it steadily rise again. Guess who bore the brunt of the losses? His fans, who blindly followed him through the pump and dump.

But, don’t take it from me. Jackson Palmer, co-creator of Dogecoin, straight up called him a “self-obsessed grifter.”

He’s not just grifting crypto investors, but also our government

I’m all for electric cars, but I want them to be done sustainably. I’m also for space travel, since our world is kinda dying and we’re going to need a place to stay. But what most people don’t realize is that Elon Musk funded them through a lot of government grift.

Though he claims to “hate subsidies,” Musk has asked the US government for funding every single step of the way. It is estimated that by 2015, all of his companies have received a total of $4.9 billion from Uncle Sam.

What made him come out as against government subsidies? Oh, that’s simple. He’s a vocal proponent against the billionaire tax as well as taxes on largely profitable businesses.

If Musk was half the non-grifter and “good guy” that people claim him to be, he’d be okay paying his share of taxes. Those taxes would go to our grossly underfunded schools, horrifically underfunded healthcare, and major public health goods.

Most of the profits that he’s made come from the government, and yet he doesn’t want to pay taxes. He chooses business locations solely on what people are willing to offer him. Once he drains that resource, he’s out and wants to skirt his responsibility. That’s the epitome of a grift.

Oh, he also made a point of saying that he didn’t want Americans to get the pandemic stimulus, but had no problem saying he’s for UBI. Why would he say that? Simple: because he just wants his fanboys to support him while he pockets more money.

Tech bros like Elon Musk because he’s what they think they are.

I’ve hung around my fair share of tech bros, and in fact, I’d go so far as to say I’ve dipped my toes in that world a lot. I’ve actually worked in tech with multiple major clients. I’ve been there, and eaten among these people quite a bit.

While I could go on and on about the toxicity I’ve seen in tech startups like Vocal, I’m going to focus on a pervasive attitude I’ve noticed among too many people in the Silicon Valley world. Here are the main points I’ve seen:

Most of the guys were the ones who were bullied in school. This is true about Elon Musk, too. A lot of the guys in these arenas have a serious boner for a real-life “Revenge of the Nerds” involving tons of money. They cling to money as a way to show, hey, they are successful as fuck.
They tend to view women as sex objects or trophies, not as people. Musk and tech bros like him are notoriously bad to their partners. A lot of guys tend to have kids as trophies in this type of world, which is why they look at Musk’s seven-ish(?) kids and are like, “Yeah, he’s doing what I’d do.”
The ones at the top view others as disposable. Mary Beth, Musk’s assistant who did everything for him, is a prime example of this. Oh, and Musk also ousted the co-founder of Tesla after his usefulness was up.
A lot of these people want to make a point of excluding others. Go into a major tech arena, and you’re going to notice that it’s almost entirely white, college-educated men. The “tech bro” industry is notorious for not hiring black and Latinx people. And women? They are often treated terribly. Once again, it’s a “Revenge of the Nerds” fantasy being acted out IRL.
They’re all about being edgy. How do I know? I worked for a tech platform in porn and hung out with techies. Microdosing, going to strip clubs, cocaine parties…I’ve seen it all.

The reason why so many tech bros see themselves in Elon Musk deals with their own fantasies.

Most of the tech bros I’ve seen came in three flavors: grifter, hurt nerd, or Hollywood braniac. All of these people want to be the ones in the Bentley, talking to celebrities, with fans around them. They want to have that glittery lifestyle.

Elon Musk casts himself as the ultimate “nerd who got his revenge.” He’s got women, is a billionaire, and makes a point of trolling people because he can. A lot of guys, if they were in his shoes, would do the exact same fucking thing.

So, they look at Musk and they see themselves in him. They want to be him, so they follow whatever he does. But the thing is, they are generally not like him. It’s the quiet part not said out loud.

They are not the people who are acting like carnival barkers hawking the latest doodad. They don’t have his money, nor do they have his connections. They just have his attitude — and that’s not a good thing, even if they think it is.

Musk knows this, which is why he panders to them and pulls the stunts he does. Why? Because every time he brings out his “bro” side, he knows he’ll find someone whose rug he can pull, and that will make him even more money.

Are Elon Musk’s inventions great?

While I think crypto takes too much energy, I’m a fan of EVs and hybrids. It’s about fucking time. Believe it or not, I’m all for a lot of Elon’s ideas because they are sustainable.

But that doesn’t excuse the fact that he’s still a grifter and a pretty terrible person to the people around him. And a lot of people have been fucked over by Musk. He leaves a trail of destruction where he walks.

So, if you’re a Musk bro, be careful. He might make you his next mark.