723 upvotes, 26 direct replies (showing 25)
View submission: Elon Musk misleadingly suggests other celebrities made controversial 'Nazi' gesture
For my money, Elon knows what he's doing. Where's that Jean-Paul Sarte quote again about never doubting that antisemites know how absurd their arguments are?
All I'm saying is, it's very telling that he's doubled down on it, rather than apologize for it. That solidifies his intention for me - if you seriously want to argue that the correct response to ""accidentally"" making a Nazi salute is to start making Nazi puns on the website you bought for $40 billion, you were already going to accept literally any excuse.
Comment by judgeridesagain at 23/01/2025 at 21:27 UTC
204 upvotes, 9 direct replies
He does. He obviously does.
He wanted to prove he could do it in front of the whole world and that no one could do a thing about it.
Comment by Deconstructedpsyche at 23/01/2025 at 22:33 UTC
51 upvotes, 0 direct replies
"Never believe that anti-Semites are completely unaware of the absurdity of their replies. They know that their remarks are frivolous . . . But they are amusing themselves, for it is their adversary who is obliged to use words responsibly, since he believes in words."
Comment by veryreasonable at 23/01/2025 at 21:16 UTC
103 upvotes, 7 direct replies
For my money, Elon knows what he's doing.
I'd consider the idea that he knows what he's doing to the point where he understood that:
a) he would get tons of national and international screen time for this
b) everyone who is at all disposed to like him would be happily convinced by the pictures showing other celebrities doing "the same thing", even if these pictures are disingenuously captured single frames from entirely different gestures.
c) ultimately, this ends up good for his brand and popularity
That last one is subject to the ever-changing mood of the masses, of course, but it's working for now.
Comment by soaero at 23/01/2025 at 22:35 UTC
19 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Elon thinks that he controls the media now, which means he can control the message. He knows, and entirely intended to do a Nazi salute. He also thinks it will play well to his base, and he can just fill social media with "it wasn't a Nazi salute, WTH is wrong with the Libs?" gaslighting to keep any blowback from occurring.
It's the kind of reasoning that you do when you spend your entire day high on coke and ketamine.
Comment by grouch1980 at 23/01/2025 at 23:03 UTC
11 upvotes, 2 direct replies
I’ve been waiting to hear that he apologized and condemned Nazi ideology. Is it true that he hasn’t apologized or set the record straight yet?
Comment by farmpasta at 24/01/2025 at 09:57 UTC
8 upvotes, 0 direct replies
From *“Anti-Semite and Jew”* (*Réflexions sur la question juive*), first published in 1946
Comment by XTP666 at 23/01/2025 at 23:29 UTC
7 upvotes, 0 direct replies
He knows what he’s doing and only uses still photos. Let’s see some videos of these celebrities actually doing a nazi salute.
Comment by lonesoldier4789 at 24/01/2025 at 00:41 UTC
6 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Anyone who thinks he doesn't know exactly what he's doing need a reality check
Comment by notfromchicago at 24/01/2025 at 01:23 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Even if he's just trolling this is something so far beyond the pale that it shouldn't just be allowed to slide.
Comment by SoIomon at 23/01/2025 at 22:27 UTC
9 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Nazis know they are Nazis. They’re just trolling
Comment by retropieproblems at 23/01/2025 at 21:26 UTC
16 upvotes, 3 direct replies
Here’s my take. He wanted to thank Trump for “ending cancel culture”. But his 4chan filterless ketamine addled brain thought that a Hitler solute was the perfect symbolic way to thank someone for that, because of the “lolz”.
Comment by blariel at 24/01/2025 at 01:55 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
He didn't even need to apologize. We know.hes an ass. All he needed to do was say, "That wasn't a mazi salute, you idiots," and 90% of it would have gone away. Instead, he's being intentionally cryptic and edge lordy baiting people. Honestly, I think it's a distraction for something else.
Comment by Whats4dinner at 24/01/2025 at 03:16 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
This assessment is 100% correct. He’s well aware of what he’s doing and that his supporters are absolutely loving it. He feels that he’s untouchable and has no sense of decency or morality to ground his values. This is a man that knows the price of everything and the cost of nothing.
Comment by firebert85 at 24/01/2025 at 04:03 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Of course he does. Know how I know? He's trying to show others (wrongly) doing it as a way to make his not look like a big deal. By saying others did what he did he is defining what it is he did and admitting it.
Comment by adidasbdd at 24/01/2025 at 05:07 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
He says or does something stupid or controversial and gets the entire world talking. Eyeballs equal dollars. He didn't get 10 billion retweets when he was talking about exploring alternative energy sources. This unfortunately is what people really want.
Comment by itisnotstupid at 24/01/2025 at 09:05 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Umm.....has Musk apologized for anything in the last 5 years? He always doubles down.
Comment by Icy-Injury5857 at 24/01/2025 at 14:26 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
He’s a self admitted retard. He probably thinks he’s being funny or edgy, but it just comes across as sad
Comment by ghanima at 24/01/2025 at 15:35 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
For my money, Elon knows what he's doing.
He unequivocally knew he was throwing the Nazi salute. You're only giving him the benefit of the doubt because the Overton Window[1] in America has shifted so far to the right that you can practically expect right wing discourse to be an exercise in gaslighting.
1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overton_window
Comment by ZZ_SKULLZ at 24/01/2025 at 19:08 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
If Elon is so sure he didn't do a Nazi salute then he should go do it again, this time in the Bronx for about 30 mins. If it wasn't a Nazi salute then he should be fine right?
Comment by [deleted] at 23/01/2025 at 22:13 UTC
0 upvotes, 1 direct replies
[removed]
Comment by ConsciousFood201 at 23/01/2025 at 21:14 UTC
-14 upvotes, 7 direct replies
That’s the thing. Elon Musk is not an anti-Semite. He’s 100% doing this for the attention.
What he did is wrong and he should 100% pay the price for it, but he’s also just a weird immature dude that is rich enough to be able to fight online culture wars that literally don’t matter.
He reminds me of the dorky kid that picks up Shadow in a limousine in the beginning of Neil Gaiman’s American God’s.
Elon Musk *IS* Twitter. It’s who he is as a person now.
Comment by Easy_Explanation299 at 24/01/2025 at 14:23 UTC
0 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Probably the dumbest comment yet. The PM of Israel sided with Elon. The ADL. When the most Pro-Jewish individuals and organizations are siding with the guy, probably time to look in the mirror and realize you've been misled.
Comment by lucascsnunes at 25/01/2025 at 12:19 UTC
0 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Sartre is one of the scummiest and dodgiest figures in French history. Quoting him only shows how twisted your ideas are.
Comment by Evilsushione at 23/01/2025 at 23:44 UTC
-5 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I don’t think Elon is an anti-Semite. Facist, racist yes, but I haven’t seen anything suggesting he is an anti semite
Comment by dually at 24/01/2025 at 06:50 UTC
-3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
See this is why no one likes you.
You can't go around accusing everyone you disagree with of being a Nazi, unless someone is paying you to do that.