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Elon Musk is demonstrating to the world just how extreme his views have become.
The billionaire, known as one of the most influential people in the world, spent another weekend engaging in right-wing discussions in X. This behavior was highlighted in his recent interview with Don Lemon, which was released on Monday morning.
During the interview, Musk controversially compared moderating hate speech to "censorship," criticized the media for their reporting, questioned the effectiveness of DEI programs without providing evidence, criticized advertisers who left the X platform last year, and once again mentioned the racist Great Replacement theory, among other topics.
Some people may find Elon Musk's recent statements confusing or unfamiliar if they are not well-versed in right-wing media. However, in the world of right-wing media where Musk is heavily involved, these are the topics that excite and engage the audience.
During the premiere episode of Lemon's new online show, Musk made a series of controversial statements following a 72-hour period of intense online activity. He criticized the "woke mind virus" and claimed it aims to "destroy America." Musk also agreed with a user who called "Fake News" the enemy of the people, criticized the press for being biased towards Joe Biden, accused the news media of lying about Donald Trump's comments, described NPR as a softer version of Pravda, alleged that Google manipulates search results with left-wing bias, downplayed the seriousness of the January 6 insurrection, and warned of the consequences if there is not a "red wave" in the upcoming elections.
At this point, labeling Musk as a right-wing shitposter is not just provocative, but accurate. His influential presence in various industries and extensive dealings with the US government make his offensive behavior even more concerning.
Through his ownership of X, Musk wields control over a crucial communications platform, spreading harmful content at a rapid pace, much like his SpaceX rockets launching into space.
Users of Twitter have noticed that Elon Musk's posts always end up at the top of their home feed. This is because engineers had to create a system to make sure his posts get a lot of visibility on the platform he owns.
Adding to the issue, Musk seems to be becoming less accepting of different opinions. He promotes right-wing extremists while also trying to undermine trust in reliable news sources.
Musk used to be happy to have Lemon on the X platform, but not anymore. On Monday, Musk criticized Lemon harshly after their interview was posted online. He called the former CNN anchor a "stupid asshole" and labeled him as a "bad guy, plain and simple."
"He’s not used to having to answer to anyone," Lemon shared during a Q&A with People's Jason Sheeler. "Especially someone like me who doesn’t share his worldview, who doesn’t look like him."
As a result, Musk has essentially radicalized himself on the very platform that he had to buy for $44 billion. He has delved deeper into the darkest and most unsavory parts of the website, which only serves to reinforce his own beliefs. The platform has become an echo chamber for conspiracy theorists and sycophants who constantly praise his every action, regardless of how outrageous or false it may be.
All of it dished up by an algorithm designed to regurgitate it right back to him. Unfortunately for the rest of the world, Musk is hell bent on taking everyone else down there with him.
Editor's P/S:
Elon Musk's recent behavior, highlighted by his controversial statements in an interview with Don Lemon, exposes a deeply concerning trend. As a highly influential figure with significant control over a major communication platform, Musk's embrace of right-wing rhetoric and conspiracy theories is alarming. His