He's a CEO by Day...

Why Elon Musk’s legacy tells a story of white supremacy, exploitation and a well groomed image.

Apr 15, 2024

And with this latest comparison we fail yet again in the game of character assessment. I wonder what it says about our susceptibility to persuasion when we compare billionaires to superheroes? Capitalist ideology remains firmly implanted, and Elon Musk wears the face of its latest hero as he impersonates another.

He’s Not Your Superhero.

He certainly isn’t mine…

MCU superhero Tony Stark (aka Iron Man) has experienced in the last few years what can only be understood as a character assassination for the comparisons online between his character and this world’s favourite rich-man. Many draw a line from one to another on account of their intellectual capabilities, masses of wealth and technological ventures. We’ve see respectable outlets like The LATimes and The Atlantic entertain the comparison, with what seems like just a bit of light hearted fun, harmlessly merging that fantasy world with our own.

Still it appears we’ve gotten caught up in the make-believe of it all. All seemingly in good-faith, this comparison still has the potential to downplay any perceived threat to society posed by Musk. Tony Stark is a beloved character in popular culture, admired for his intelligence, charisma, and altruism. By likening him to a real-world personality with true influence, there's this suggestion that Musk, like Stark, is using his technological innovations for the betterment of humanity rather than for any nefarious purposes. The comparison also interests me for it’s rosy perception of Musk’s moral compass. There is insurmountable evidence in a case against him that points to a history of exploitation, control, anti-Semitism and white supremacy – features of his personality all too conveniently forgotten as we raise him up as an assisstant to society.

Ransom coined it escapism. (When we seek distraction and relief from the realities of our environment). As we envision a real-life hero figure who can solve complex problems and inspire positive change in the world when we talk about Elon Musk we seamlessly overlook the complexities of Musk's influence and legacy. It’s undeniable that Musk's innovations have made a significant impact. But more importantly, his business practices, public statements, and controversial actions have also generated criticism and ethical concerns. As we downplay his actions through this playful comparison we obscure meaningful discussions about the broader implications of his work and the responsibilities that come with wielding immense wealth and power.

But as I’m writing this I’m realising that maybe the comparison makes more sense that I originally thought. Many of those having watched the Avengers movies might recognise the faults to be found in Stark’s actions repeatedly throughout the franchise, with members of the fanbase accusing him of being more akin to villainhood status. Likewise, people everywhere mischaracterise our very own ‘Tony Stark’, perceiving him as a genius to be deified, completely overlooking his flaws.

Personally, I find Musk far more comparable to Homelander’s character in Amazon Prime’s ‘The Boys’, a superhero with immense power and influence who embodies the dark side of American exceptionalism and white supremacy. He often uses his status to reinforce racial hierarchies and promote a supremacist worldview. Homelander's racist agenda manifests in various ways throughout the series, from his interactions with non-white characters to his support of policies and actions that disproportionately benefit white Americans. Additionally, Homelander's sense of entitlement and superiority perpetuates systemic inequalities and reinforces oppressive structures within society, serving as a chilling reflection of the insidious nature of racism and its pervasiveness even in the realm of superhero fiction.

A far more likely comparison..

He’s a ‘Champion of Free Speech’?

In 2022, Vice published an article shedding light on Elon Musk's impact on Twitter, highlighting concerns about the proliferation of white supremacist and neo-Nazi content on the platform under his leadership. Since assuming control of Twitter as its CEO, Musk has been accused of exacerbating the problem by reactivating accounts of known neo-Nazis, engaging with white supremacists on his timeline, and posting tweets that directly appeal to them. Instances cited include sharing a picture of a white supremacist, using a known antisemitic trope, and inadvertently or not, posting a tweet containing a numerical reference that white supremacists interpreted as a coded message. Musk's actions have led to a rise in hate speech on Twitter, with far-right extremists anticipating the reinstatement of accounts banned for spreading hate speech. While Musk's pattern of normalizing far-right content predates his takeover of Twitter, his recent actions have heightened concerns about his platform's moderation policies and its role in amplifying extremist voices.

In 2023, Elon Musk sparked controversy after delving into the contentious topic of the "white genocide" conspiracy theory in South Africa. Musk's tweet was in response to a video posted by right-wing influencer Benny Johnson, showcasing members of South Africa's Economic Freedom Fighters party singing a "struggle song" containing the lyrics "shoot to kill, kill the Boer, kill the farmer." While a court ruling in August determined that the song did not constitute hate speech and the lyrics were not to be taken literally, Musk's interpretation differed, as he accused the party of openly advocating for the genocide of white people in South Africa. Almost immediately, white nationalists lauded Musk for bringing attention to their cause, with influencer Nick Fuentes expressing gratitude on Telegram and using an excited Pepe emoji. This isn't the first time Musk has courted controversy with the far-right, as he previously welcomed them onto Twitter under the guise of protecting free speech. Additionally, his tweets on topics such as "Black crime" statistics and other white supremacist dog whistles have brought him closer to white supremacist stances, further fuelling the debate surrounding his alignment with extremist ideologies.

Today, the platform is still host to wildly unregulated content demonstrating a support for white supremacist narratives, with Musk waiting at the ready – the people’s champion.

Don Lennon

In an interview released a few weeks ago between CNN anchor Don Lemon and Elon Musk, Lemon questioned Musk on various topics such as his political affiliations, drug use, opinions on content moderation, and his platform X's approach to hate speech. Lemon asked Musk about his recent meeting with Donald Trump and whether he supported the former president, to which Musk remained cagey about the details of their conversation. Regarding content moderation on X, Lemon questioned Musk about the presence of racist hate speech and antisemitic content on the platform. Specifically, When questioned about whether implementing "better content moderation" on X could assist Musk in sidestepping inquiries regarding his alleged backing of the Great Replacement Theory—a conspiracy alleging a scheme to reduce the influence of white individuals—Musk responded by asserting his prerogative to avoid responding to reporters' queries. (An embarrassingly evasive response).

Musk responded to further criticisms by stating that content is only removed if it is illegal, denying responsibility for encouraging hate speech. When Lemon asked about advertisers pulling ads from X due to controversial content, Musk defended his platform's commitment to free speech, stating that advertisers are free to choose where to advertise and that he prioritizes preserving freedom of speech on X, even if it means making less money.

Amongst others, I’m getting really sick of the use of ‘freedom of speech’ for the camouflaging of personal sentiments, especially when these sentiments are consistent with other practices. It is hardly surprising when a man who contributes to the proliferation of white supremacist narratives as they circulate online actively relies on the exploitation of black and brown bodies.

He’s an ‘Innovator’?

Almost everyone is aware by now of Musk's controversial background with resource extraction and his involvement in the mining industry. Musk was born and raised in South Africa, a country rich in mineral resources such as gold, platinum, and diamonds.

And yet his family's success the South African mining industry is owed to an emerald mine in Zambia, or more specifically, those working in them. This early exposure to the mining business likely shaped Musk's understanding of the economic potential to be found in unethical resource mining.

Musk's own ventures have intersected with the extractive industries. Even in the founding of X.com, which later became PayPal, reports state that the funding for this venture came from the sale of Zip2, a company Musk co-founded that provided business directories for newspapers, some of which were funded by South African mining magnate and apartheid-era figure, Sol Kerzner.

Likewise his ventures in the energy sector, through companies like Tesla and SolarCity, have detrimental environmental impact of resource extraction. While Musk promotes clean energy solutions such as electric vehicles and solar power, the production of batteries and solar panels requires the extraction of rare earth minerals and other resources, which naturally have environmental and social consequences, particularly in countries with lax regulations or poor and unethical labour practices.

There’s an elementary level contradiction here, between Musk's advocacy for sustainability and his reliance on resource-intensive industries. Musk's approach to business prioritizes technological innovation and profit-making over environmental and social responsibility, echo broader criticisms of the extractive industries and their impacts on communities and ecosystems.

By now we have to see the ways in which the advocacy for this notion that capitalism breeds innovation has left everyone at the mercy of those will financial capabilities to appear as if they are innovating. But what we should also know by now is that this so-called innovation doesn’t serve us in any real capacity, past waving shiny new toys in front of our faces and look in awe at the great minds that created them. Like almost every superhero Musk comes complete with plans for his own ‘spaceship’, one of his more spectacular business ventures. But we don’t need spaceships we’ll never get to fly in. We instead need to stop being so impressed with figures who introduce such technological advancement to this world, whilst actively ignoring efforts to help a larger percentage of the population.