SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk reportedly caused a geopolitical crisis last year, when Ukrainian forces—which have relied heavily on the company’s Starlink satellite communications—were on the verge of striking Russian naval vessels off the coast of Crimea with submersible drones. Concerned that the attack would provoke Russia into using nuclear weapons, Musk unilaterally opted to sever the submarines’ satellite connection, throwing a wrench in the entire assault.
The incident—shared by CNN based on an adapted excerpt from an upcoming book by Walter Isaacson—demonstrates Musk’s increasing unwillingness to lend his satellite network to offensive maneuvers waged by Ukraine. “How am I in this war?” “Starlink was not meant to be involved in wars. It was so people can watch Netflix and chill and get online for school and do good peaceful things, not drone strikes.”
After foiling the attack, Musk reportedly received a desperate text from a Ukrainian deputy prime minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, who asked that Musk reinstate the Starlink connection to the drones. “I just want you—the person who is changing the world through technology—to know this,” Fedorov wrote. But Musk refused to reverse course, telling Fedorov that Ukraine “is now going too far and inviting strategic defeat.”
Apparently he was worried that the assault would provoke nuclear war. Musk showing actual thought for the first time in ever.
I have to be honest. Musk as much as he's an absolute ass is also making the types of moves I like to see to enable a continued globalized world. He's the kind of bourgeoisie I hope wins the struggles ahead because he's preferable to the alternatives for a soft US empire implosion. He just keeps on doing things that I can't help but cheer, not because they're objectively good in a vacuum but because they're creating the best conditions and/or navigating the conditions making the best choices for AES and the global south freeing themselves.
No, he's just dumb. You may consider that convenient until it gets someone that you care about killed.
He’s arrogant and childish and petty which hinders him. He’s also a reactionary but his selfish pettiness so far has done some interesting things in sabotaging the evil empire.
As to getting people killed. What the fuck does that mean? You sound like a fed crowing on about the dangers of subversive thinking and commies getting people killed.
The US is grinding Ukraine’s population to grist and ironically Musk was one of the few prominent people who said that was bad, they weren’t going to win and it was pointless and dangerous to continue. All true.
I know, I know. No one must insult the nazi fascist Ukraine regime and it’s American cheered genocide of its own people for western arms manufacturer profits.
Alright Russia, good to see you here. Ukraine does not want you there. You weren't invited. Wagner was literally started by a Nazi and your power structures literally match the definition of fascism. Your justifications for the conflict match that of the Third Reich.
Ukraine is not the Nazis in this match up.
What are other ways he has created such conditions, besides this incident?
He's broadly anti-decoupling with China to my knowledge. Somewhat willing to say good things about China. I mean he see's Chinese things like Ali-pay/WeChat and wants to emulate them. Being against escalation against Russia is also good actually.
He's like Trump and I'm honestly not sure how people here are not getting that was what I was saying. I mean I'm not going to trip over myself to disown him anymore than I have already. I shouldn't have to because there should be some critical thought given.
Do you have any evidence he is a hawk? Of the variety who would advocate using nuclear weapons or something to avoid giving up US hegemony (as many of the more silent bourgeoisie who control the US government and defense contractors would tend to be) as opposed to a self-serving but also self-defeating capitalist who can't stop gorging himself off the profit potential of staying linked with China. I mean I hope he and others like him are like that and continue to exist. I guess as an ML I can't help but be a bit optimistic that some of the bourgeoisie are selling us rope even in this day and age.
I mean there are degrees here. I don't know if wandering liberals have downvoted me or what but I think what I said speaks for itself and honestly I don't like Musk, so I'm not really going to compile a list of "why communists should think this guy is useful", it's just not worth my time and it was just musing. It was my hot-take. I don't believe it to be incorrect, no one has really hit me with anything that changes my view.
This the same guy?
Admittedly I did forget that but it doesn't change the larger picture. Also I really doubt he instigated that incident. He's just a loud-mouth.
Look, he's not a friend. But he's like Trump, says things and takes positions strangely contrary to the hawks /at times/. Besides that his fan-boys go nuts and have melt-downs over this so it's all very amusing. If you think he's the worst because he's a loudmouth you're objectively not paying attention and you are a liberal and there's no quibbling over that because that's not material analysis.
Come to think of it, he kind of resembles Trump in another way, he has this huge ego and interest in building a brand off his name, not directly like Trump but he does things like sell himself, get himself in Star Trek episodes, goes out of his way to get others to stroke his ego, has a craving for being seen as very smart, very capable, a genius.
I don't get why people here are losing their minds over my saying that maybe uh he's useful in certain ways and I enjoy him not shutting up and being a quiet bourgeoisie. If anything his talking continues to do a lot to ruin his own efforts.
He seems pro-China. This isn't because he's a good person but that doesn't matter.
People will critically support Iran despite the fact they execute communists, homosexuals, and disobedient women yet I say this Musk fool has his utilities and it's nice he's saying this and pushing these things and people lose their damn minds as If I'm fan-girling for him instead of simply making observations that he's taking positions that while probably born out of self-interest and his own pompous arrogance are good actually. Some bourgeoisie are liable to at times sell us large quantities of ropes not because they want us to use them but because it lets them profit.
But this thread seems like it's been brigaded by liberals so whatever.
For what it's worth i can understand what you're trying to say and after giving it some thought i think i basically agree. He's a piece of shit but he's just stupid and egotistical enough to be detrimental for the overall capitalist-imperialist project. A "useful idiot", if i may borrow that phrase which liberals love so much.