Can democracy survive now the world’s richest man has it in his sights? | George Monbiot | The Guardian
Can democracy survive now the world’s richest man has it in his sights? | George Monbiot | The Guardian
A vote for Donald Trump next week is also a vote for Elon Musk. He’ll have even greater power than the US president, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
This is what happens when successive US governments fail to tackle inequality. While millions of people live in poverty, a handful grow unimaginably rich. Wealth begets wealth, and they acquire political power to match. It was inevitable that one of them – now the richest man on Earth – would launch what looks like a bid for world domination...
I liked that in ancient Roman Republic, the rich at least competed with each other by seeing who could provide the best stuff to the poor, like baths, arenas, temples, aqueducts, roadways, etc.
And if you weren't helping, you'd be shamed and later on they could just kill you and take your money.
Charity is a cold grey loveless thing. If a rich man wants to help the poor, he should pay his taxes gladly, not dole out money at a whim.This is what should be, at this point I’d take the Roman way though. Fucking hell I’d take Carnegie, Vanderbilt, and Rockefeller over the current oligarchs that seemingly want to cull us all
"Charity is the drowning of justice in the craphole of mercy." - Pestalozzi
The modern rich are so uncreative, it’s quite sad.
Considering he’s visibly losing it already, I should think so. I originally thought it was a midlife crisis but it’s been like 4 years.
it’s been like 4 years.
I think it's pretty obviously been more than that: https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/03/media/elon-musk-testifies/index.html
On July 15, 2018, Musk tweeted “pedo guy” in reference to Vernon Unsworth
For the worlds richest man, and CEO of multiple companies to tweet like that, you'd have to be pretty far gone already.
Musk has probably "had issues" most of his life, but at this point he obviously lost control publicly, and was unable to contain it.Musk is a spoiled brat who thinks his behavior has no consequences to him. This continues to be mostly true, so his behavior gets steadily worse, because he has no shame and no reason to believe he will be held accountable.
You ever see a dude buy a sports car during a midlife crisis? That shit's his baby for years. I've got a neighbor who's been waxing his Miata for decades... Keeps it under a tarp and never drives it.
Meanwhile musk crashed his McLaren trying to impress Peter Thiel
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/elon-musk-spent-1-million-213715650.html?guccounter=1
Lacy asked Musk whether there was a parallel between the dramatic crash and how he builds companies. Musk’s response was, “I hope not. That could be awkward with a rocket launch.”
Revoke his citizenship, deport him to South Africa, seize his companies, refuse all future visa applications.
Permanently Deleted
At least we live in a time when evil dumb rich guys are still mortal.
The Curtis Yarvin / Peter Thiel "Dark Enlightenment" was overtly anti-democracy and had some dollars behind it, but has been a clown show of an ideology from the start (over 15 years ago) and has only withered more in daylight.
Whether it's morally right, there's a wide canyon between proposing an entire alternative political system, and deplatforming people on X or Starlink.
It's like they're trying to make it the next step from neoliberalism but people are starting to even see the flaws in neo liberalism.
The richest, most inept, out-of-touch, needs to be put in his fucking place douche.
Well I guess we could boot him from the country.
It required a failed democracy for him to accumulate that much wealth in the first place. He’s a symptom that has become a cause.
If Kamala wins it can.
For a little while longer.
Every day I try to remember to be grateful that, even though he's evil, Elon Musk is also pretty dumb.
Yes...because WE also have HIM in OUR sights......way more of us. I expect a Indira Gandhi type ending to these billionaires if we're lucky.
Regularity capture about to catch em all out here.
What sequel is this?
It's hardly the first time the richest man in the world has hated democracy.
We never had a democracy. It was just white liberals pretending it was for 250 years.
We have had and continue to have a democracy. It may not be the form of democracy you like but no need to pretend otherwise.
And at least there's a statement about a more perfect union in the founding documents. The nation says it has a goal of making things better.
We have had and continue to have a democracy. It may not be the form of democracy you like but no need to pretend otherwise.
- slave owners addressing their "uppity" plantation workers
"The appearance of legality must be maintained."
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I call betteridge's law on this one
They way most democracies are now, they are helpless against rich people buying press and lobbying for politicians
I hope the necessary change comes fast enough
What’s a denokratie?