I think he is one of the more interesting public figures, but what is everyone’s thoughts on him? I think he deserves his own thread to keep topics on him.

I for one do overall like him. I think his contribution to the renewable energy market is undeniably good for humanity and out weighs his clumsy tweets.

I'm yay on him because I don't care if someone is conservative if they are a noble person doing things to make the world a better place like he is

I would not call Elon Musk conservative. Libertarian? Perhaps, but certainly not conservative. But I agree, I think his contributions to humanity are good overall.

That's what I meant. He is not conservative, but a good person doing good things.

I'm not a tribalist who thinks everyone who disagrees with me is terrible and must be condemned. Though it seems like the main liberal thing about Musk is climate change, which is something I'm not super conservative on. I believe in a gradual and responsible change to renewable energy once it is affordable, though there is nothing wrong with drilling for oil/fracking as long as it is needed, like it is right now.

I lean negative. His ties to, and potential to be influenced by, the Chinese Communist Party is worrying. The CCP has a ton of leverage considering Tesla has been given access to the Chinese market like no other car manufacturer. They can take that away from him in an instant unless he plays to their tune regarding Twitter. I can foresee Twitter slowly change into a pro-China platform. That is all that concerns me. I don't care for all the mad-visionary-wacky-entrepreneur shenanigans. But his ties to this despotic, genocidal regime means, at least for me, that he is compromised, particularly since he's already shown a disregard for human rights in the hunt for profits.

I would like an indifferent poll option.

Damn, when was the last time Algren posted?

He's been entering some box office contests

I vote yay with reservations, I support anyone taking this strong a stand for free speech, but with rich guys like this you don't really know their real motive or who helped him get there. Musk is so rich that spending a hundred million would dent him as much as buying a Starbucks coffee for a regular parson, it has to be make you disconnected to reality in some way, but his online persona is well adjusted, so it it real?

He seems like he'd be fun to hang out with.

But I'm generally against anyone who can buy their way into becoming an overlord, and Elon is definitely on that path.

Also, I've noticed that Champions of Free Speech are quick to give up their titles whenever that free speech is directed against them. Saying it is an easy way to get people on your side, and then have those same people apologize for you when it turns into "free speech is what I decide it is." Conservatives are always quick to go to the first amendment when it comes to using racial slurs, but then they turn around and pass Don't Say Gay bills at the same time. Free-speech, as long as *Insert God of Choice* approves of it.

Is the classroom a place where the free exchange of ideas should be allowed? it's a place where children are forced to be by the state for 7 hours a day. Not exactly the same thing.

I agree there is some contradiction, it was a very short time ago that conservatives were known more for prudishness and things like being mad at Eminem lyrics than free speech, with the unfiltered mouth of Trump making it more of a flirtation that probably wouldn't last forever without him. Most likely at the same time the right starts liking censorship again, the left would also start to become more favorable on free speech to counter it, making them meet somewhere in the middle.

If conservatives start arguing: Kids are having mental health issues at massive rates and we know how to fix it. It's because they are sexually confused and undisciplined. We should make them all wear uniforms in school, tell them to sit up straight, and give them detention if they swear. It takes a village so we would also take this approach at home such as how make them not be allowed to watch porn, not allow them to drink, and we should limit the sexual messages they are exposed to on tv. This is for the children's SAFETY and protection emotionally.

They're *probably* wrong as repressing and isolating teens might increase the mental health problems, but is it at least an argument that could get some legs? Maybe?

There's always a reason to not allow free speech in the places you don't want it to be.

In this case they're also public schools the government is in charge of and therefore decide what is taught in them

I'd have a bigger problem with DeSantis banning private schools teaching gender ideology if he went that far

Exactly, when I was growing up it was the Christians who had control over what free speech was. I remember, after Janet Jackson's nipplegate, they purged MTV of any videos they found problematic (yes kids, MTV used to play music.) Now that power has transferred to the woke. It's the same thing, except now that we know alot more about mental trauma, I'd trust the people who are doing their best to prevent it rather than the people who have historically been better at causing it.

But overall its the same thing. "I love Free speech, it is so great ... until someone says something I don't like." How do we fix that? I have no idea.

Unfortunately we have a large sample size fo human history whether it'd be countries like China, Russia, Middle East ones, etc. now, or human history from how long it took to get rid of feudal system for democracy, success of nazis and communists, etc. that people can be convinced to buy into a authoritarian/totalitarian type system over a freedom/free speech one. It's simply happened again and again that a shocking amount of people side with the authoritarian system when given the chance despite how their incentive would seemingly to be live free. When people were fighting independence wars there was always as much if not more fighting on the side of the king.

My guess would be this is because there is something more powerful politically to people than freedom, and that thing is Safety. In fact we just saw one of the greatest test cases in human history of this with covid when the safety instinct swept the freedom instinct in their playoff series. So all that needs to happen for people to give up freedom and freedom of speech is to believe it's the key to their safety.. The problem is sometimes it can be an illusion and all they're doing is buying into someone promising safety, but they could be liars who then renege on this promise, or they could be utilizing one of the great political strategies, making people scared of something on purpose so they turn to them for safety. Despite dealing with threats like predators and climate, the cow in the wild is more safe than the cow at the meat processing plant, because he at least somewhat controls his fate, whereas despite being well fed and sheltered, the one being fattened up to be eaten is guaranteed his doom. Giving up individual power for safety is therefore a flawed trade-off, as the loss of freedom is one of the best ways to lose your safety. Then when people realize they've been had and that the promise of safety just led into regimes where they could be killed for disagreeing with the dominant ideology, or if the authoritarian gains control some other way, the instinct for Safety once again comes in handy when they realize obeying and pretending to believe in it is the best way for them to survive.

Mostly Nay. As I've said, he's not some champion of free speech. At best, he *believes* he can be given his position (richest guy ever) and being able to buy social media to try and promote it. Odds are, given his ego, he's just doing this for more attention and admiration. People who have acquired everything else often become drunk on it.

He wants to be recognized as a hero, and people like this typically fail to become heroes (worst-case, they become the opposite.) Real heroes don't seek the title and resist it, and gain the title naturally through good acts of trying to better the lives of others and make them heroes, without seeking the same recognition themselves.

If Elon really wanted to make a difference in the world, all his wealth could go so, so much further and actually help people. Not to say he hasn't done things to help, but these things, again, are certainly being done to gain status, attention, and to be seen as a hero. I don't see him making decisions with the sole intent of helping his fellow human, he wouldn't have so much money otherwise.

It's hilarious to see people clutching their pearls at him owning Twitter now when Jeff Bezos has owned the Washington Post for years and those same people treat that publication as their bible. Billionaires controlling communications has been happening since mass media began. This is nothing new.

Why does the Right just say the dumbest things constantly?

Washington Post has good reporters, individually. But also posts a lot of crap, and it's extremely infuriating that Bezos owns it. These are all facts. It's not like Twitter has a reporting staff who give us news. But Bezos has had published many stories that are complete ass and serve his best interest.

Barrabas is not on the right lol, he's just not a far left person

The problem I have with the “Left” is that there is such a black and white view on social issues that is rules to morality and if you break any of these codes when it comes to race, gender, or sexual orientation you are automatically racist, sexist, homophobic, or transphobic and need to be corrected at best or have your life ruined at worst. It’s all or nothing with this Kantian mentality. There is no room for nuisance.

But on the topic of Elon Musk, I do not fear him taking over Twitter at all and truly think the more rapid conservatives/Qanon ilk will be severely disappointed or won’t notice much change at best.

Elon Musk is only interesting because he seems to do whatever pleases him at the moment. But his motivations are nothing but selfish. Every time I see or read about him, he's playing into a group that's paying attention to him. I feel like him hosting SNL was his way of becoming a larger figure on the left, but he primarily got made fun of for it so now he's playing into what the right wants since now they're fawning all over him. It's Trump on a less (?) dangerous scale.

Anyone that thinks he cares that much about free speech is fooled easily.

That’s a good point actually