Elon Musk’s recent tweets about socialism and capitalism has got everyone talking on Twitter. (Source: File photo) Elon Musk’s recent tweets about socialism and capitalism has got everyone talking on Twitter. (Source: File photo)

Tesla and SpaceX CEO, Elon Musk, is quite active on Twitter and from time to time loves to interact with his followers on the micro blogging site when not sharing his thoughts about important stuffs or making announcement about his companies. On Friday the billionaire was tweeting when some quoted a recent report on CEO-to-worker pay ratio, highlighting Tesla had lowest. Replying to the tweet saying, “My “pay” is in options, which only matter if stock goes up & I sell,” he underlined how he would “use that to make life multiplanetary, help education & environment on Earth .” But as the conversation proceeded, he slammed self-proclaimed socialists and called them ‘depressing’ and humourless.

My “pay” is in options, which only matter if stock goes up & I sell. Will use that to make life multiplanetary, help education & environment on Earth w my foundation. Just don’t want us to be sad about the future. https://t.co/l3YEvjvyuz — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 15, 2018

Should prob articulate philosophy underlying my actions. It’s pretty simple & mostly influenced by Douglas Adams & Isaac Asimov. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 15, 2018

“Those who proclaim themselves ‘socialists’ are usually depressing, have no sense of humour & attended an expensive college. Fate loves irony,” Musk tweeted. When some asked what he would proclaim him as, he replied, “A socialist.” But followed it with a tweet that riled many on the micro blogging site.

Those who proclaim themselves “socialists” are usually depressing, have no sense of humor & attended an expensive college. Fate loves irony. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 15, 2018

A socialist — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 15, 2018

After his curt reply to the Twitter user, Musk went on and added, “Marx was a capitalist. He even wrote a book about it.” Whether he meant it as a joke or tweeted it out to rile other, his tweet mostly did the latter and did not go down well with many on the social media platform. Many slammed the tech entrepreneur and firstly for calling himself a socialist and secondly for tweeting ‘wrongly’ about Marx.

Marx was a capitalist. He even wrote a book about it. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 15, 2018

Sample these:

“Elon Musk’s growing empire is fueled by $4.9 billion in government subsidies” Socialism for the rich. Capitalism for the poor. Right, @elonmusk? — Rafael 🔥 (@rafaelshimunov) June 15, 2018

#ElonMusk I became a socialist like most from experiencing rank inequality as I was born in a slum that circled the coal mine where my dad worked-endured being made a child labourer at the age of 7, ate from rubbish bins & on my 18th birthday joined the RAF and fought Hitler https://t.co/QAItoinRXU — Harry Leslie Smith (@Harryslaststand) June 16, 2018

Nothing like a billionaire mocking socialism because he doesn’t want his employees to unionize. — Rich Burroughs (@richburroughs) June 16, 2018

Elon Musk tweeted about Marx and socialism and I really need a minute. — Kate Aronoff (@KateAronoff) June 16, 2018

I’m losing my god damn mind over Elon Musk literally saying “Marx was a capitalist. He even wrote a book about it.”

I just have no idea how to begin to parse this man saying these words. — Mobile Suit Fundam (@bogvvitch) June 16, 2018

I think the clue’s in the name, you dunderhead. It’s called a CRITIQUE of political economy. Had you read it, you’d be perfectly aware that Marx was never in possession of the means of production and hence not a capitalist. I’d stick to making cars that don’t work if I were you. pic.twitter.com/nXxvLTzQQc — TimBobbins (@2018Time4Change) June 16, 2018

Obviously #ElonMusk never read labor history of 19th-20th century capitalism, much less anticolonial movements in Asia, Africa & Latin America. https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/08/1x1.png White dude frm #SouthAfrica mocking #socialists as bunch of spoiled kids frm universities is, dare I say, rich w supremacist irony. — Kevin Kresse (@kevinkresse) June 16, 2018

To be capitalist, you need to have capital. Was Marx rich like Elon Musk? Hmmmm — Ehva (@iamProvincetown) June 16, 2018

Elon Musk, a nasty capitalist, hates socialists. Surprise, surprise. Marx wrote a book about how capitalists like Musk abuse their capital for personal gain at the expense of the worker. And Musk is proving that capitalists have both too much money and too little intelligence. — goueeik (@goueeik) June 16, 2018

This man had the nerve to say in this thread that he is a socialist after he laid off a percentage of his workforce solely in order to be “more profitable”… like if that ain’t capitalism I don’t know what is 😂😂😂😂🤦🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️ — kathleen 🌻 (@kathnisevrgreen) June 15, 2018

Someone should tell @elonmusk that his parasitic relationship with the state isn’t socialism. Elon, you are a socialist but you hate unions? Did you actually say Marx was a capitalist? What books are you reading? Do you think that Das Kapital was about capitalism? pic.twitter.com/4Dk6pRWOP5 — Praveen Kumar (@ComradePraveenK) June 16, 2018

got back to my computer to see elon musk call himself a socialist and marx a capitalist and now i have to log off again — who the fuck is scraeming “LOG OFF” at my house. (@herkzzz) June 16, 2018

Mental health problems are real. I just saw Elon Musk proclaim himself a socialist and Marx a capitalist. People like him need professional help. Give generously to your local mental health charity. — Paul Adams (@CannonballJones) June 16, 2018

There were also others who were very confused if he was being serious or was just in a mood for some fun.

Elon Musk is a socialist who thinks socialism is untenable because of capitalism and thinks Marx was a capitalist. One would presume he’s trolling or batshit crazy. — Art Tavana (@arttavana) June 16, 2018

Elon Musk has some of the most bizarrely wrong political viewpoints I’ve ever heard. “Marx was a Capitalist”? Is this you trying to troll? — This autist kills fascists (@FelishaTabby) June 16, 2018

i can’t decide what part funniest. claiming marx is a capitalist? the fact it’s in reply to minecraft youtuber antvenom? the fact elon musk is the op? the original tweet accusing socialists of not being funny? i’m going combust — elliott (@planetbunnera) June 16, 2018

Are you joking? Or do you believe that you’re a socialist and Karl Marx was a capitalist? — Eric J 🌹 (@EricJafMN) June 16, 2018

In the end, when it got people on the Twitterverse talking, he left the debate halfway and asked, not take his tweets “too seriously”. “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’,” he signed off.

Do you agree with Musk’s view on socialism? Tell us in comments below.

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