We're all looking forward to seeing Elon Musk head up the new DOGE: Department of Government Efficiency. Imagine if he could clean out all of the dead weight like he did at Twitter.
The Atlantic says that Musk has an "extreme" vision of the United States, and his closeness to Donald Trump might just be a Trojan horse for him to get into a position where he can realize that vision.
Elon Musk has long dreamed of redesigning the world in his own extreme image, @FranklinFoer writes. Trump may be his Trojan horse: https://t.co/tRISdDeap9
— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) October 19, 2024
Franklin Foer sends up the warning flare:
In Elon Musk’s vision of human history, Donald Trump is the singularity. If Musk can propel Trump back to the White House, it will mark the moment that his own superintelligence merges with the most powerful apparatus on the planet, the American government—not to mention the business opportunity of the century.
Many other titans of Silicon Valley have tethered themselves to Trump. But Musk is the one poised to live out the ultimate techno-authoritarian fantasy. With his influence, he stands to capture the state, not just to enrich himself. His entanglement with Trump will be an Ayn Rand novel sprung to life, because Trump has explicitly invited Musk into the government to play the role of the master engineer, who redesigns the American state—and therefore American life—in his own image.
Musk is poised to live out "the ultimate techno-authoritarian fantasy" — which is what? Free speech on social media? We're sorry, but "an Ayn Rand novel sprung to life" sounds great. It would be nice to have some details on Musk's "extreme image." This is a guy who voted for Joe Biden four years ago.
Another day, another doozy of an Atlantic article.
— Dan (@KettlebellDan) October 19, 2024
There’s an irony to it. For instance this part:
“His entanglement with Trump will be an Ayn Rand novel sprung to life, because Trump has explicitly invited Musk into the government to play the role of the master engineer, who… pic.twitter.com/ERlQ4rnhhw
… who redesigns the American state—and therefore American life—in his own image.”
The progressives here seem to want to protect, you could even say conserve, what we have in place in government.
Elon has frequently stated that we need to fix (sure, re-engineer) the government which will otherwise collapse under the weight of its own $35T (and climbing) debt. Who disagrees with this??
I don’t know who is looking at government spending and thinks that it’s not a problem.
So will this techno-authoritarian fantasy be like Tesla, SpaceX, or Neuralink? What a nightmare it would be to have him in the government. As far as his "extreme image," Musk has explained that he's not extreme … it's just that the Left has shifted so far to the Left that he found himself left as a conservative.
Government absolutely needs to be re-engineered.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 19, 2024
It is a wasteful mess that is bankrupting America and spending the hard-earned money of taxpayers in foolish ways. https://t.co/Ph3c2M3NP6
Elon Musk is literally single-handedly making the world a better place.
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) October 19, 2024
What is The Atlantic doing for the good of humanity?
...said The Atlantic as they tearfully posted on his platform.
— Roger Yates (@thatrogeryates) October 19, 2024
More Trump and Elon-hating leftist fear porn from the Atlantic.
— A Ration Of Rational (@ARatOfRat) October 19, 2024
🥱
Holy cow you guys suck at your job
— Pudge (@pudgenet) October 19, 2024
God forbid we have nice things.
— An Utter Boor (@utterboor) October 19, 2024
Don’t you ever tire of being soulless cliches?
— Menkui (@Cmplxe) October 19, 2024
Isn't it great you are putting his image in a poor light on a platform he owns and you aren't censored.
— Creature X (@Creature_x) October 19, 2024
If Elon wanted to narrate a path …. he could invoke more levers to do so.
Everything he has every done has been fair. That will go down in history as amazing!
This would be super sweet
— Richdick365 (@richdick367108) October 19, 2024
This issue just absurd. Really. That fact that this gets through your editorial process is pretty damning.
— Paul Oliu (@PMOliu) October 19, 2024
Freedom of speech. The freedom to access any knowledge from anywhere and make your own decisions. Sustainable energy and infrastructure. Helping the handicapped to walk and the blind to see. And more. Taking us beyond earth and into the solar system.
— Mr Bubbies Mcbiggles (@34davidparsons) October 19, 2024
Sounds terrible.
Billionaire Mark Cuban, by contrast, is a selfless humanitarian because he supports my preferred candidate. Sigh.
— Tony Dyl (@dyl_tony) October 19, 2024
We really need more details on this "ultimate techno-authoritarian fantasy." Is Musk going to mandate that everyone drive electric vehicles? No, wait, that's the Democrats' platform.
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