The wealthiest man on Earth continues to yearn for our undivided attention

Elon Musk has a strong desire to be liked, despite claiming that he is okay with being hated during his interview with Andrew Ross Sorkin at the New York Times DealBook Summit on Wednesday. His statement, like many others he has made, seems to be a deliberate attempt to keep the public's attention on him.

Despite the potential for over-pathologizing someone as heavily scrutinized as Musk, his interview revealed a clear addiction to attention. In the absence of adoration, he readily accepts condemnation, reminiscent of an addiction to attention. This is evident in his purchase of a $44 billion personal megaphone and his bold statements at the Wednesday summit, showing a seemingly self-satisfied satisfaction in using spicy language in front of a New York Times reporter.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, takes a moment to pause during an in-conversation event with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Lancaster House on November 2, 2023 in London, England. Sunak engaged in a discussion about AI with Elon Musk, which was broadcasted on the social network X, owned by Musk himself.

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Elon Musk wants to be a world leader. His own behavior is holding him back

The interview exudes an awkward energy that may be cringeworthy for some, but seemingly invigorating for Musk, even when watched online.

For better or for worse, Musk and his actions hold significance due to the immense power he possesses as an extremely wealthy individual and as the leader of some of the most influential companies globally. The far-reaching impact of Musk's business decisions is why we can't stop scrutinizing his behavior, as they have ripple effects that ultimately affect regular people, whether they are purchasing a Tesla in California or involved in a conflict in Eastern Europe.

Musk is increasingly positioning himself as a public figure and influencer with involvement in global affairs such as Israel's conflict with Hamas. While he has the financial means to insert himself into these situations, his demeanor often comes across as more about showmanship than genuine impact.

His recent trip to Israel came after he endorsed an explicitly antisemitic tweet, which led to a mass departure of advertisers from X. Musk referred to the post, which promoted a conspiracy theory linked to White supremacists, as "the actual truth." Despite his claims that the visit to Israel was not an "apology tour," the timing of the trip raises questions about his intentions.

He is doing his best to combat accusations of antisemitism by stating that he is not antisemitic. But his past words and actions dont do much to back up that claim.

Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla and owner of X, previously known as Twitter, is present at the Viva Technology conference focused on innovation and startups at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, France, on June 16, 2023.

Photographed by Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters

Elon Musk's recent tweet exposes his true stance on antisemitism. Throughout his history on social media platform, Musk has shown support for hate speech, conspiracy theories, and antisemitism, utilizing his significant following of over 160 million accounts.

Musk downplayed his recent anti-Jewish post as a "foolish" mistake that he felt was misconstrued by the media. However, his Twitter feed is filled with interactions with QAnon conspiracy theorists, some of whom had been banned before Musk brought their accounts back to life. Shortly after the antisemitic tweet led to advertisers leaving, Musk turned his attention to promoting the "Pizzagate" conspiracy theory, reviving a false claim from 2016 that led to a man shooting inside a Washington, DC restaurant.

It's important to note that being a bigot doesn't necessarily require holding animosity in your heart. Simply tolerating and amplifying bigotry in front of a large audience of 160 million followers is enough. According to Atlantic writer Charlie Warzel, Elon Musk seems to have a clear case of "internet brain rot" and despite his well-known reputation, he shows no sign of disappearing.