By Dr Hannah Absalom
Institute of Local Government Studies (INLOGOV), University of Birmingham
Elon Musk is one of the most recognisable figures of the 21st century. As the CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and other ventures, his influence extends far beyond technology, shaping public discourse, politics, and culture. Yet, like many of the super-rich, Musk is often spared sustained critical scrutiny. Media coverage frequently oscillates between admiration for his innovations and bemusement at his provocations. This think piece seeks to reverse that gaze, examining how Musk’s immense wealth and influence shape narratives and accountability, particularly through his recent interventions in UK politics, and exploring the profound irony of his self-styled advocacy for social justice, which often mirrors the very dynamics of control and abuse he purports to oppose.
Elon Musk’s UK interventions
Musk’s public interventions, amplified by his ownership of Twitter/X and his 150 million followers, reverberate in traditional media and policymaking circles alike.
Musk’s foray into UK politics underscores the breadth of his influence. His critiques of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, comments on child sexual exploitation inquiries, and even suggestions that Nigel Farage step down as Reform Party leader reflect a capacity to shape narratives far removed from his areas of expertise. Musk’s public interventions, amplified by his ownership of Twitter/X and his 150 million followers, reverberate in traditional media and policymaking circles alike. This unregulated influence raises pressing questions about accountability and the ethics of allowing individual wealth to set political and cultural agendas.
Notably, Musk’s commentary on child sexual exploitation inquiries reframed what is fundamentally a systemic issue into a divisive race narrative. This reframing, which distracts from the structural and institutional failures that enable such exploitation, perpetuates harmful stereotypes and undermines survivors’ voices. For survivors and advocates, seeing such a critical issue reshaped by a man with a history of inflammatory and controlling behaviour is particularly galling. Musk’s stance exemplifies a broader trend of the powerful leveraging social issues to suit their own narratives, often at the expense of those directly affected.
The Wealth Megaphone: Amplifying harm
Musk’s immense wealth functions as a powerful megaphone, allowing him to bypass traditional gatekeepers and overshadow less powerful, yet often more informed advocates for change. Platforms like Twitter/X, which he owns, enable him to shape public debates with an authority that ordinary citizens and even elected officials cannot match. While this might appear democratic on the surface, in practice, it skews these platforms into tools that suppress free speech, undermine critical thinking, and erode the ability of elected officials to implement policies derived from transparent democratic processes.
When Musk wades into complex issues like child sexual exploitation, his approach often reduces them to soundbites or provocations, distorting public understanding. For example, reframing systemic sexual abuse of vulnerable children and young adults as a race issue not only misrepresents the core problem but also diverts attention from the structural work required to address the roots of such violence. This type of distortion mirrors long-standing patterns of dominance, where those in power reshape narratives to serve their own agendas, often at the expense of affected communities.
The Problematic persona: From trolling to hypocrisy
Musk’s public persona is steeped in controversy, much of it self-generated. Known for his trolling and provocative behaviour, he has repeatedly demonstrated a penchant for leveraging his platform to belittle critics and elevate himself. In 2018, Musk infamously referred to a British cave rescuer as a “pedo guy” following a petty online disagreement. While he later escaped legal consequences, his defence—that the comment was a misunderstood joke—highlighted his willingness to weaponise his platform with little regard for its impact.
This behaviour stands in stark contrast to Musk’s professed concern for child sexual exploitation, raising questions about the sincerity of his interventions. His use of such an insult, followed by years of leveraging similar narratives to critique political opponents and others, underscores a troubling pattern. Musk’s actions reveal an inclination to use serious issues not to support survivors or advocate for systemic change but as rhetorical tools to undermine adversaries and elevate his own influence.
Reversing the gaze: Holding the super-rich accountable
Why is Musk’s behaviour so often excused or celebrated? Part of the answer lies in society’s fascination with wealth as a marker of success. Musk’s achievements in electric vehicles and space exploration align with dominant narratives of progress and innovation, shielding him from deeper scrutiny. Moreover, the eccentricities of powerful men are frequently excused or reframed as evidence of genius, a cultural tendency that obscures the ethical implications of their actions.
This deference to wealth and power prevents us from asking critical questions about how individuals like Musk accrue and deploy their influence. His behaviour exemplifies the danger of allowing immense wealth to go unchecked, as it enables figures like him to reshape critical debates with little regard for the consequences.
Conclusion: Incomprehensible wealth, unaccountable power
Elon Musk’s wealth is almost incomprehensible. Tools like Matt Korostoff’s Wealth Shown to Scale illustrate how the resources of the super-rich dwarf those of ordinary citizens and even governments. This imbalance translates to immense influence wielded with minimal accountability.
Musk’s reframing of child sexual exploitation as a divisive race issue exemplifies how the super-rich perpetuate patterns of dominance, distracting from systemic inequities while advancing their own agendas. His public trolling, excused as eccentricity, serves as a tool of control, undermining the very issues he claims to champion.
In a world increasingly shaped by the unchecked power of the super-rich, reversing the gaze is both urgent and necessary. By scrutinising their material resources and influence—rather than indulging their provocations—we can begin to confront the profound inequalities they perpetuate. The challenge lies in ensuring that this accountability extends beyond think pieces, translating into tangible actions against the corrosive effects of concentrated wealth and unregulated power.
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The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Birmingham.