Elon Musk's Nazi Salute Didn't hurt Tesla
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Hey everybody, welcome back to the Elon Musk Podcast. This is a show where we discuss the critical crossroads that shape SpaceX, Tesla, X, The Boring Company, and Neuralink. I'm your host, Will Walden. There's some subject matter in this episode that might not be okay for some people. It's about Elon Musk and his recent Nazi-esque salutes.

um and his arm movements arm motions whatever you want to call them that's what this episode is about so if you have a problem with that if it's going to make you upset

You don't need to listen to this. There's not a lot going on here reporting the news about Anti-Defamation League and also Tesla, some social media stuff, and how the public's a little bit divided. So if that's going to offend you, just take that into consideration before you listen to this episode.

So Elon Musk was standing at a podium bearing the seal of the United States president back on Monday and it was captured twice raising his arm in a way that some interpreted as resembling the Nazi salute. This gesture which is widely recognized as a symbol of heat and historical atrocities was called out by scholars, journalists, and human rights organizations.

But despite the backlash, neither Musk nor his company Tesla has faced any apparent financial repercussions for this controversy. Musk responded to the accusations with characteristic

defiance. Laughing off claims that he intentionally made a salute like that, he called the controversy dirty tricks and sarcastically thanked the Anti-Defamation League or the ADL for initially defending him. The ADL had stated that the gesture was likely just an awkward moment rather than an intentional salute. However, the billionaire's nonchalant dismissal of the criticism added fuel to the fire for those already scrutinizing his associations with far-right ideologies.

This isn't the first time that Elon Musk has faced accusations of engaging with controversial or extremist viewpoints. Musk has been under scrutiny for what critics call a growing alignment with far-right circles. Notably, the publicity-endorsed Germany's hard-right alternative Führerdeutschland AFD party

whose policies have been condemned by numerous human rights organizations. Now on X, Musk has allowed the proliferation of Nazi-related and anti-Semitic content after he took over and often amplifies such accounts or failed to enforce moderation policies against them. It's the free speech platform, of course, so he's not going to stop them doing what they do. And

And in one particularly controversial incident, Musk replied to an anti-Semitic post calling it the actual truth. Now, just so you know, I am anti-Nazi. Any sort of racism, any sort of Nazi people can suck it. Go away. But I wanted to let you all know that we're going to talk about this stuff a little bit more

And following backlash over this incident, Musk offered a public apology, describing it as literally the worst and dumbest post I've ever done. He subsequently visited Auschwitz, a symbolic gesture meant to demonstrate contrition. Yet critics argue that Musk's actions, including his dismissal of concerns over the alleged Nazi salute, suggest a pattern of courting controversy while showing limited accountability. We all know Elon Musk is a troll.

But despite the public outrage and growing concern about Musk's behavior, Tesla's financial performance remains unaffected. On Tuesday, Tesla's stock closed virtually unchanged, signaling investors apparent indifference to the controversy. They either just didn't see it or they don't care. And analysts note that since Donald Trump's election, Tesla shares have surged 65% outperforming competitors and the broader market.

Observers suggest that Musk's close ties to the Trump administration may shield him from the potential fallout of his divisive actions.

Now, Musk's association with far-right ideologies has also drawn criticisms from within those very circles. Steve Bannon, a polarizing figure of alt-right politics, has openly called Musk evil and demanded his removal from the White House, where Musk holds an influential advisory role. However, analysts suggest that Musk's perceived ability to appeal to Bannon's base, whether intentionally or inadvertently, may insulate him from these attacks.

Now, the ADL, which initially defended Musk after his gesture, later issued a sharp condemnation. The organization criticized Musk's decision to make jokes about Nazis on X, labeling his remarks "inappropriate" and "offensive." They emphasized the unique historical and moral gravity of the Holocaust, stating, "It is never acceptable to make light of a singularly evil chapter in human history."

Social media platforms and communities have been quick to react to Musk's actions. Reddit saw a surge in conversations and debates about whether to limit or ban links to X. Several subreddits, including rChristianity, rNewJersey, have already enacted bans on X-related content. This also includes r slash Godzilla.

citing Musk's controversial gestures as a tipping point. And moderators of other subreddits such as r slash rva and r slash nba are actively discussing similar measures, while some have opted to restrict X content by allowing screenshots instead of direct links to reduce traffic to Musk's platform. Now, imagine what's possible when learning doesn't get in the way of life.

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One Reddit user wrote on the r/DND subreddit, "Given Musk's actions on Monday, it may be time to rethink how we engage with the platform." The user went on to criticize Musk's history of amplifying harmful rhetoric and interacting with accounts promoting Nazi ideology and raising broader concerns about X's role in spreading hate speech and extremism. But not all Reddit users agree with the bans.

Some pointed out the perceived inconsistency in singling out of X while allowing content from platforms like Meta, which recently ended its fact checking program, or True Social, a site often associated with right wing misinformation. However, others defended the bans, arguing the collective action was one of the few tools left for communities to take a stand against harmful behavior by tech CEOs.

Reddit, for its part, allows subreddit moderators significant autonomy in setting and enforcing their rules. Platform does not have a blanket policy on banning links to specific websites, leaving decisions up to individual subreddit communities.

Now, this decentralized moderation system, according to Derek Powizek, author of Designed for Community, is one of the few remaining examples of collective online action. In a blue sky post, he said Reddit's structure actually gives moderators a bit of power, which is increasingly rare in online spaces.

And while Musk's defenders argue that his gesture is an online behavior being exaggerated or misinterpreted, critics view them as part of a broader pattern of behavior that normalizes hate and anti-Semitism. Video clips of Musk's alleged salute have been widely shared on social media on every platform, often juxtaposed with images of neo-Nazis performing identical gestures, including Hitler. And for many, this visual comparison leaves little room for doubt about the seriousness of the accusations.

Despite the criticism, though, Musk's dominance in technology, social media, and business remains largely intact and unaffected. His ability to retain public support and investor confidence in Tesla shows that he has a unique position as both a polarizing and influential figure. When it comes down to it, people that are investing in companies, they want to make money. And there might not be a moral threshold for some people, right?

And I'm just speaking from direct experience with some people that have invested with Tesla. Some people have taken out some of their money, but also you have to think somebody else is going to buy that stock anyway. So why would you do that? Why wouldn't you just make the money? So those are some questions you have to think about. Like, do you want to support this guy until you know exactly what he was thinking or do

Are you going to have a knee-jerk reaction, pull all your money out, lose a bunch of money that you and your family could use? That's where some people are coming from. So just think about that too when making these decisions. Now, Tesla, while it's bolstered by its market performance, shows no signs of losing momentum, though. It's going up, up, up, even as these controversies surrounding Elon continue to pile up.

Now, he has ties to Donald Trump and his apparent appeal to right-wing factions pose critical questions about the role of tech leaders and CEOs in shaping public discourse. He has a lot of power. For now, Musk remains defiant, brushing off backlash while continuing to consolidate his influence across industries and political lines. So Musk's gestures, the Nazi salute, social media policies and political alliances are

Show that there's a deepening divide between his critics and his supporters, though. Whether this divided will eventually impact Musk's public standing, his financial empire or political ambitions remain uncertain. And everybody has to make their own choice. So, you know, before you invest, make sure you know who the leaders of the companies are that you're investing in.

It's important. Work with your morals here if you're going to invest in something. So that's up to you, whatever your morals are. I'm not here to tell you right or wrong. But some people, they pulled out. Some people, they put money in. It's up to them. Now, if you've been listening to the show for a while, I'm trying to make the show ad-free more so than not. So I'm going to leave a link to my Venmo in the description or the show notes, and

And if you have a few dollars to donate, that's going to help me recoup some of the money from ads. And as I keep recouping more money and leveraging that compared to the ads on the show, I'm

Little by little, we're going to have less ads on the show. And I've noticed that also about 90% of you aren't subscribed to the show. I've been looking at my stats. 90% of you come in, watch or listen to an episode and then leave and don't subscribe. Maybe you just haven't set the subscribe button. Maybe you forgot. But if you want more conversations like this and want to continue listening to Elon Musk news, hit the subscribe or follow button on whatever podcast platform you're on right now.

It's going to help the show a little bit and you'll get more Elon news in your feed. Also, we have a discord. So if you want to continue the conversation there, there's a link in the description for that too.

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