Twitter seized the means of production, mockery-wise, after tech billionaire Elon Musk called himself a socialist, and then claimed Karl Marx was a capitalist.
The dragging began after Musk started tweeting about socialists and socialism on Friday. “Those who proclaim themselves ‘socialists’ are usually depressing, have no sense of humour & attended an expensive college. Fate loves irony” Musk said. When some asked what he would proclaim him as, he replied, “A socialist.
A socialist
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 15, 2018
“Marx was a capitalist. He even wrote a book about it,” added Musk.
Marx was a capitalist. He even wrote a book about it.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 15, 2018
NOTE: The book Marx wrote about capitalism, “Das Kapital,” was an attempt to place capitalism in a historical context, while also providing a detailed critique of both it and the political systems in which it thrives.
Musk doubled-down on Saturday morning, insisting that “I am actually a socialist. Just not the kind that shifts resources from most productive to least productive, pretending to do good, while actually causing harm. True socialism seeks greatest good for all.”
By the way, I am actually a socialist. Just not the kind that shifts resources from most productive to least productive, pretending to do good, while actually causing harm. True socialism seeks greatest good for all.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 16, 2018
Predictably, the proletariat wasn’t having it at all.
“shifts resources from most productive to least productive”
The best way to convince people you’re a socialist is to sound exactly like Ayn Rand. https://t.co/PtmJ3tgcXd
— Greg 👻 (@waltisfrozen) June 16, 2018
I think taxing your accumulated wealth at 90% would be pretty damn funny, you parasite. https://t.co/dTKWWgqMxl
— Noah Berlatsky (@nberlat) June 16, 2018
https://twitter.com/KrangTNelson/status/1008073822967394304
https://twitter.com/jaqemate/status/1008056651054755840
Melville was a white whale. He even wrote a book about it. https://t.co/0bMo5y73O4
— Miauricio Jiménez (@miauricio) June 16, 2018
https://twitter.com/jaqemate/status/1008052290262065152
Poe was a raven. He even wrote a poem about it. https://t.co/C0VPoGnAD4
— Miauricio Jiménez (@miauricio) June 16, 2018
https://twitter.com/The_Coss/status/1007956755874185217
After Musk got schooled, he bailed. “Heading back into the factory, so that’s enough for now. Don’t take my Tweet too seriously. For one thing, it’s called a “Tweet.”
Heading back into the factory, so that’s enough for now. Don’t take my Tweet too seriously. For one thing, it’s called a “Tweet”.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 16, 2018
Technically speaking, despite his $21 billion net worth, Musk is accurate in calling himself a socialist in at least one sense: His company Tesla receives millions in tax incentives and breaks, while his company SpaceX receives federal contracts and has received huge subsidies from state governments, according to the L.A. Times.
