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Finding his popularity waning among Millennials and Gen Z, Elon Musk appears to be courting conservative clout with several recent actions.
In his latest, Musk took a swipe at the Democratic party. Claiming his own values remain unchanged, Musk intimated liberals in general have run to the far left leaving him with more in common with Republicans than the "woke progressives."
The billionaire illustrated his point with a graphic on Twitter.
pic.twitter.com/Q9OjlJhi7f— Elon Musk (@Elon Musk) 1651168042
After writer Tim Urban added an explanation claiming the "far left" held the rest of their liberal counterparts hostage through fear, Musk pulled the "I even voted for Obama" card.
Today, Elon tweeted this diagram by @SwipeWright, which sums up how a lot of people (including me) feel. Then a bunch of ppl responded w/ graphs showing that Republican politicians have moved farther right in that time than Dems have moved left. Here's what I think is happening:https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1519735033950470144\u00a0\u2026— Tim Urban (@Tim Urban) 1651195701
So even though the left hasn't moved that far left (as is shown by voting results), the left is in a sense being held hostage by their extreme wing, making a lot of people who enthusiastically voted for Obama feel politically homeless today.— Tim Urban (@Tim Urban) 1651195701
To be clear, the phenomenon I\u2019m referring to is mostly happening outside of Washington - in places like academia, medicine, media, and publishing. It\u2019s what\u2019s happening in those places that has alienated many people who used to feel at home on the left.— Tim Urban (@Tim Urban) 1651218682
I strongly supported Obama for President, but today\u2019s Democratic Party has been hijacked by extremists— Elon Musk (@Elon Musk) 1651195979
People had little tolerance for Musk's complaints or Urban's justification for them.
People asked which policies the "culturally powerful" enacted.
Odd how unspecified fringe Democrat\u2019s policies are terrible, but mainstream Republican policies to limit women\u2019s and LGBTQ rights are non-threatening in comparison— Nik Bulatovich (@Nik Bulatovich) 1651202352
pic.twitter.com/5PvaQaCXFA— Marisa Kabas (@Marisa Kabas) 1651210714
Wait, what? Like who? Who are "*culturally* powerful?" \n\nFor the record, "*culturally* powerful" is not a thing. It's just a label to give people like a participation trophy. "*culturally* powerful" have absolutely NO real power. What policies do they make?— m (@m) 1651216774
Please tell us which “woke” policies are destroying the nation? It’s not the chipping away of voting rights, pushing the big lie, incorporating guns and violence into every aspect of life, book banning and putting bounties on women-no its the woke stuff🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
— ✨jeremy✨ (@jeremy_davia) April 28, 2022
Love the use of the word 'culturally' here. Now you don't have to talk about economics, policy, or power, you can just gesture at a general vibe when somebody asks for real-life examples. Great stuff, no notes.— (500) Summers of Morbius (@(500) Summers of Morbius) 1651222023
Many pointed out the complaint had less to do with out of control woke progressives and more to do with a billionaire's discomfort with accountability.
yes, but this guy doesnt experience the economic and structural forces, he's just mad he 'cant just ask questions' on twitter bc he gets less likes to quote tweets ratio and that's one of the few problems he has.— Empath Cormack McCarthy, author of 1984 a great fi (@Empath Cormack McCarthy, author of 1984 a great fi) 1651222200
2012
Minimum wage: $7.25/hr
Elon’s net worth: $2 billion
2021
Minimum wage: $7.25/hr
Elon’s net worth: $277 billion
— Nina Turner (@ninaturner) April 28, 2022
There’s nothing noble about being a centrist.
It’s a space of ambivalent privilege that only exists for those for whom political and economic changes and challenges have little affect on their own lives.
— Zack Hunt (@ZaackHunt) April 28, 2022
Meanwhile, back in the real world . . . pic.twitter.com/Oco5HfWC7V
— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) April 28, 2022
Others pointed out the policies and laws being pushed by Republicans had real world consequences beyond making Musk or Urban "feel homeless."
Remind us which party incited an insurrection on the US Capitol. Which party is passing total abortion bans in the states. Which party thinks climate change is a hoax. Which party is banning books.
But sure, it’s the left that’s sprinting off the cliff.
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) April 28, 2022
In just a few years, the GOP went from a party that promotes “fiscal conservatism” to a party that openly supports a deadly insurrection that attempted to overthrow the election, is banning books, and is electing insane conspiracy theorists across the country.
But sure.
— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) April 28, 2022
Republicans are passing laws that restrict speech, ban books and tried to overturn the election, but sure, it's the woke left who are radical.
— Don Moynihan (@donmoyn) April 28, 2022
The left went from wanting voting rights, a living wage, healthcare, & climate justice in 2008 to wanting those exact things in 2022.
The right went from being centrist on those things in 2008 to the Big Lie, banning CRT, and openly promoting white nationalism & Nazism in 2022.
— Qasim Rashid, Esq. (@QasimRashid) April 28, 2022
Hey Elon, what if I was to tell you that the data shows a very different story about which party is radical? Would you have the balls to even look at it?
— Rachel Bitecofer 📈🔭🍌🇺🇦 (@RachelBitecofer) April 28, 2022
Ta-da! Data! https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/03/10/the-polarization-in-todays-congress-has-roots-that-go-back-decades/\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/7dftSC9lua— Parker Molloy (@Parker Molloy) 1651168958
Musk has drawn increasing criticism from young people who often cite his unfulfilled promises—like fixing the Flint water crisis and ending world hunger—and his out of touch privilege and entitlement.
In response, Musk has increasingly criticized "wokeness" and courted conservatives. Whether it signals a change in his personal ideology or just a desire to be liked is unclear.