Tesla owners

[Moorfellduck]

I would never buy a Tesla now - literally over my dead body. I think Musk is dangerous and delusional and don't want to be associated with him in any way. I've got a few friends that have Tesla's and I know that they feel a bit conflicted. I guess they are kind of stuck with them for now.

If you've got one do you feel bad driving it and feel that people might be judging you now or do you dissociate the brand from Musk himself? I not a journo, just interest given how popular they are and a bit 🤔that people think it's okay to buy one now given they can make a choice that isn't contributing to Musks wealth and power.

What is it?

Nah, I find that a weak argument. We don't need people to be perfect - who is? But to still choose to buy a new Tesla/fund Musk when there are other options, is saying something. You don't pay attention or you think his influence is just fine because, atm, it doesn't affect you personally. As a voter in a European democracy, that's a matter of time. No one needs a car that reverses out of its own space and let's you get your coat on (I honestly can't tell if that's a joke)/a Tesla.

Hmm… perfect? No. But are you doing everything reasonably possible to not cause others harm? Most people aren’t, yet they still choose to pick an issue like this to act like they’re so much better. I completely understand why people feel strongly about it but I also refuse to feel judged by people who aren’t doing everything reasonably possible in other areas. There are others being harmed by things you do, they’re just not front page news.

Also, as most people don’t drive a Tesla, it’s an easy thing to virtue signal on as it requires zero change to their life.

It also requires zero effort to just resolve not to buy another Tesla in the future. It's hardly an immense sacrifice.

I think it's perfectly reasonable to assume people who purchase Tesla's going forward are happy to knowingly fund a new and terrifying form of Nazism and to judge them accordingly

If the person likes the Tesla, it requires a change to another make of car and if you like the Tesla, maybe not to something that suits the person as much. There is some change involved. Many people could not buy from Primark or Shein or not listen to music made by people known to be paedophiles or give up certain foods that impact the planet etc, without it being an ‘immense sacrifice’. They don’t though, they continue, but because they’re more common and not front page news, it’s accepted by most.

Of course you can judge whoever you like for whatever reason. Everyone judges. I’m sure I’d judge you for some of your choices. Presumably you’re ok with your choices as you wouldn’t make them though and that’s how I feel about driving my Tesla.

I don’t need to defend myself. You realise that people can have opposing opinions to you, right? And that’s fundamentally why people create these threads - to get different opinions. You wouldn’t buy a Tesla as you have your own reasons and I would buy one for mine.

if you do none of those things then that’s wonderful - gives you no reason to challenge my points since you have a strong moral compass.

Are you suggesting that your "opposing opinion" is that you are fine with Musk taking charge of the US by stealth and imposing his very right wing regime?!

🙄

Ah the classic argument of “You’re not perfect so why should you make any effort whatsoever to do one thing better?” 🤯

Shall I start littering, because I eat meat? 😂

No, I would never buy a Tesla, as I don’t like Nazis.

I don’t like Nazis either, but I do like my Tesla.

No one is making you buy a Tesla, you do have to accept that others will.

According to some people on here its a binary choice
Buy a Tesla vs hate Nazis
I managed both

I must admit that when I see one I think, oh dear. Not even judging people it just seems quite tacky now.

What seems Tacky? Tesla’s.

I’m not sure why a car would be ‘tacky’ but I pick my cars because I like them, not to please others. 🤷‍♀️

What is tacky about a car exactly?

But buying a Tesla directly helps fund Musks now outright Nazism. So anyone buying one since his behaviour became unmistakable cannot hate Nazis as much as they claim.

So yes, it's very much a binary choice now. And you can say you don't care what people think of you, but I would find it most odd for someone to "not care" whether people thought they held extreme right wing views unless they thought those views were in some way acceptable to hold

Based on an arm gesture? Or other things? If so what other things?

If people want to believe I hold Nazi views because I buy a Tesla, that’s up to them, I know I don’t hold those views and everyone I care about knows I don’t. I don’t care what a random person thinks they know about me , without knowing me.

Well the outright support for the AFD is a bit of an indicator.

And there's this (source: CNN Business)

It was hardly Musk’s first, and certainly not his most offensive, statement involving the Third Reich or their White supremacist progeny. Just last month, Musk promoted Tucker Carlson’s widely condemned interview with a Nazi apologist who said the murder of Jews in concentration camps was “humane” and that Winston Churchill was the “chief villain” of World War II. Musk later deleted his X post that called the interview “very interesting” and “worth watching,” per the Independent.

And this (CNN)
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/11/15/media/elon-musk-antisemitism-white-people/index.html

So maybe not a Nazi, but certainly Nazi-curious.

And Mr Free Speech uses his money to sue people who disagree with him out of existence
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/08/09/tech/elon-musk-garm-advertisers-lawsuit/index.html

So, yeah, while I like my car, I am getting rid of it, and I do judge anyone who chooses to give him money and help cement his status going forward.

Have you not been following the news?

It won't just be random people though. I would distance myself from any friend or family member who bought a Tesla now . Because even if they claimed not to hold extreme right wing views their purchase of a Tesla would tell me they didn't hate those views either.

There is a difference between right wing and Nazi. People are complex. For example, I seem to confuse people, I’m vegan yet gender critical and I’m pro environment yet anti illegal immigration. People like to put everyone in a neat little box when in reality, that just doesn’t work.

Also buying an electric vehicle is generally seen as a left wing/climate responsible thing to do.

I’m not going to click on links due to the issues with CSA links/images on here over the last few weeks.

It's not putting him in a box. He has put himself there. I agree that people are complex. Musk's actions, in recent years, have not been.

The AFD is certainly openly flirting with Naziism. Musk openly and actively supports the party.

He has amplified, on his platform, the words of someone who says the murder of Jews in the Holocaust was 'humane'.

Since you're gender critical, I would guess as a feminist, you wouldn't necessarily want to support someone who is retweeting this:

the billionaire reposted a tweet from “Autism Capital” that suggested that “women and low T men” are not able to think freely because they “can’t defend themselves physically”. The only people who can think freely are “high T alpha males and aneurotypical people ... this is why a Republic of high status males is best for decision making. So what did Musk write in response to this wildly sexist post that originally appeared on 4chan, the far-right messaging board that has been described as the “blueprint for white supremacist groups”? He wrote: “Interesting observation.”

There are other electric cars out there.

The links are safe, but if you're reluctant to click on them, this information is easily found.

You are trying to put him in a box. I actually think he’s very difficult to place, maybe because he is autistic and a lot of people don’t like that. Look at the amount of anti autism posts on mumsnet. As a mum of an autistic child I see it in real life too.

Things can be ‘interesting’ without someone agreeing with them. The theory is interesting. I agree with Musk on some things, not at all on others and I’m unclear on what his views are on many things. I’m happy to keep my Tesla and would buy another. I’ve had another electric vehicle and didn’t like it.

I think if you feel "ambiguous" about Musk - who right now is riding roughshod over the US constitution, accessing sensitive data he shouldn't access, attacking diversity and equality (the very things that help women and people with autism as well as people of all races), withdrawing aid overnight in a way that has completely destabilised some countries, sweeping away organisations that provide environmental and consumer protections, chumming up with Putin and playing dangerous games that shift the geopolitical landscape, and part of a cabal of people making such right wing statements that even the German Far right party distanced themselves from him (I could go on, at length)- I think if you feel "ambiguous" about him then you are exactly the kind of person I would assume will still buy a Tesla.

But it is deeply strange to defend Musks current behaviour and actions on the basis of autism. Two of my children are autistic. That doesn't mean they hold deeply unpleasant views or treat people unpleasantly. It doesn't mean they would think for one second it was ok to do a nazi salute on a political platform. You attempt to defend Musk on that basis is deeply offensive to people with autism

No, you're trying to excuse him and, ultimately, your own actions in supporting him. But, hey, buy what you like. We still live under some representation of freedom - as long as it's freedom Musk and Trump agree with.

The below are links to his threats to a free press, by the way.

Perhaps not clicking on links is to protect you from having to take in information you'd rather not have?

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/musk-media-lawsuits-cybertruck-b2673048.html

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/elon-musk-60-minutes_n_67b3553ae4b0e4f0516445e3

Of course @YouMightBeTheReason I understand your resistance to click on links but there's nothing to stop you quite easily finding the articles yourself

People who know me know what views I hold but anyone who thinks they do based on the car I drive is either irrelevent or stupid.
In our area many many Teslas are driven by people of Indian or Pakistani heritage, pretty sure they aren't Nazis either.