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Elon Musk is living proof that the more money you have (or may not have) is no indicator to how intelligent you are. The billionaire-if that impresses you, great-took to his platform X formerly known as Twitter to voice his opinion on a specific scene in Leave The World Behind, the new thriller starring Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, Mahershala Ali and Myha’la that involved his beloved Tesla.
A little background on the text in question, Leave the World Behind serves as a poignant commentary on the potential dangers of technology in a dystopian future. The scene in question depicts a fleet of hacked or rogue Teslas in an ever-growing pile-up. It’s perhaps the least subtle moment in the film’s entire sitting, a direct attack on the intersection of how corporate greed and technology can be dangerous bedfellows when their mutual advancement comes without oversight. However, Musk’s response to this scene was, to put it mildly, missing the point entirely.
Teslas can charge from solar panels even if the world goes fully Mad Max and there is no more gasoline!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 8, 2023
“Teslas can charge from solar panels even if the world goes fully Mad Max and there is no more gasoline!”
This simplistic take on a complex and critical issue reflects a lack of understanding or concern for the broader implications of technology and its intersection with societal and ethical issues.
But can we be surprised? Since his takeover of Twitter slash X, Musk has been showing his hand more and more. His engagement with and promotion of right-wing ideologies and baseless conspiracy theories have raised eyebrows and questions about his suitability as a leader in the tech industry. The man who once inspired with visions of electric cars and space exploration now often descends into the realms of the absurd and unsubstantiated.
Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that Tesla has had to recall nearly all its vehicles sold in the US to correct an Autopilot safety system. The timing of this must sting.
Critics on X were quick to call out Musk’s lack of insight. Responses ranged from mocking his apparent trigger by the film to pointing out the irony of his comments. One user astutely remarked, “They were self-driving Teslas, driving themselves to that road via GPS, to crash into each other blocking the way out. Another reason why this type of tech is dumb.”
The tech isn’t dumb. In fact, it’s pretty awesome but clearly has some flaws. It’s the man that’s dumb.
