Musk was asked how his companies would make money in this version of the future, and he insisted that “money won’t matter in 2036.” He claimed that everyone would have a high income from doing nothing and that people might still perform some kind of labor as a hobby, much in the same way that people might grow their own tomatoes in a home garden. Musk insisted backyard tomatoes weren’t as good as those you can buy from the store, but people still do it anyway. That would be news to anyone who’s had a delicious backyard tomato, which frequently tastes much better.

Again, Musk has said this kind of thing before. Interviewers, especially podcasters who are just fans of Musk, won’t probe for specifics after he makes such bold statements. But Beddoes didn’t let him get away with the idea that everyone will just have a high income. She asked how this would be implemented.

“What do you want money for? You want money for goods and services, right? You want money for mostly food, housing, transport, entertainment,” said Musk. “Well, if that is so abundant that […] the robots and AI are providing more goods and services than you…than any human, could possibly consume, what do you need money for?”

From that point on, it was all downhill for Musk. He suggested that everyone read Iain Banks for a vision of the future, and Beddoes pointed out that Banks was a socialist. Musk insisted he wasn’t. Musk said he wanted a Star Trek version of the future, which is also a version of the future that is routinely referred to as “space communism.”

When Beddoes asked Musk about his time with the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), he got extremely defensive. She pointed out that people had suffered and died from the destruction of USAID as an agency. Not only did Musk insist that no one died, but he also said that USAID’s functions were transferred to the U.S. State Department and all he did was get rid of the fraud. In fact, there have been many deaths from the cuts to foreign aid.

Musk was pressed again on how his high-income future would work in practice. “I think that the Treasury should just simply issue people checks,” said Musk. Beddoes responded, “But where’s the revenue coming from? I mean, I’m enough of an economist. If you just issue checks, you’re going to have inflation.” Musk claimed inflation wouldn’t be a problem. He said that you could print money and actually get deflation because there will be so much abundance produced.

Beddoes pointed out that Musk frequently antagonizes people online, especially when it comes to what he claims is happening in Europe. The billionaire promotes racist, far-right political actors in the UK and Germany; most recently, he used X to spread a racist movie that villainizes immigrants called Citizen Vigilante. Musk appeared to shrug when Beddoes noted that the German political party he supports, AfD, is home to some neo-Nazis. Beddoes also pointed to Musk’s belief that Britain is headed for civil war, a prediction she clearly does not share.

Musk defended his actions but really flew off the handle after Beddoes asked about the contradictions Musk seemed to present. She noted that Musk talks about this utopian world that’s just over the horizon, with humanoid robots and AI doing all the work. But how does he square that with the idea that Europe is a hell-hole of immigrants ruining everything?

“On the one hand, we started this conversation, and you described to me this extraordinarily transformative, amazing civilizational changing stuff that’s happening in the next 10 years. And yet you’re also, you know, an ongoing participant in the worst kind of tribalism… cesspit of social media.”

Beddoes asked how he can believe in these “two very different views of the world.” Musk simply responded, “I don’t think they’re inconsistent,” without elaborating further. She then noted that people believe Musk is a racist. The billionaire defended against the accusation that he’s a racist by pointing out that his partner, Neuralink executive Shivon Zillis, is half Indian.

“My partner is… she’s half Indian, and my… and I have four children with her. One of them was named after a famous Indian physicist. So I would say I’m not racist,” said Musk. “And also, if you look at the people that are employed at my companies. You know, we have senior executives of all races. I don’t think there’s any racism there.”

Beddoes followed up by asking if he was anti-Muslim, and he was much less willing to explicitly deny that he is. Again and again, Musk insisted that Europe was in decline and dangerous, while Beddoes correctly pointed out the U.S. is much more dangerous than the UK when it comes to violent crime. Musk refused to believe that was true.

By the end, Musk was so agitated by facing real questions that he just resorted to whining about how awful the media can be. He seemed to think that his popularity on X, the platform he owns, was evidence that most people actually love him.

“A quarter billion people follow me,” Musk said, referring to his X followers, adding “I think a lot more people actually like me than don’t.” The billionaire then said that “a lot more people hate you and the media more than you realize.”

Beddoes acknowledged that many people hate journalists, but Musk kept going, repeating “they hate you, they hate you,” like an emotionally wounded child. Musk, flailing, tried to come up with some way to attack The Economist specifically.

“There are more people that die in Europe from heat deaths than people that die from gun deaths in America. Why aren’t you writing an article about air conditioning?” asked Musk.

“Well, we’ve done several on air conditioning, and we had on our cover last week a whole long piece about…” said Beddoes.

“Pro-air conditioning?” Musk asked sheepishly.

“Very pro-air conditioning,” she responded. “You should read us sometime.”

It’s kind of the perfect moment. Musk throws out some meaningless gotcha and then asks why the media isn’t talking about something that he’s become hyperfocused on. In his ignorance, he demonstrates they actually are writing about the thing he cares about. And he just looks like an idiot.

>>1525355
Never forget that this man created an LLM solely to compliment him and talk about how cool, smart, and sexy he is.
This just might be the most pathetic man alive. And the richest. Funny how that happens.

>>1525357
>She pointed out that people had suffered and died from the destruction of USAID as an agency.
lol. She sounds like a retarded fucking whore to me.

>>1525364
>Never forget that this man created an LLM solely to compliment him and talk about how cool, smart, and sexy he is.
You left out the best part, that it keeps insulting him

>>1525372
>state objective fact
>"She sounds like a retarded fucking whore to me."
I'm sure.

>>1525381
Nah. That's really funny, but making an AI to fangirl over you is still funnier. Without hyperbole, that is the most pathetic thing I've ever heard. If ever needed any proof that money doesn't buy happiness, here it is.

>>1525383
>I'm sure.
People died from USAID being cut?
>Yes according to models from activists
So, it's lies? I fucking love being lied to.
Name 5 people who died due to USAID cuts.

>>1525383
Still have to disagree
Creating an LLM and it insults you? Funny
Creating an LLM and programing it to glaze you? Funnier
Creating an LLM, programming it to glaze you, and it insults you anyway? Even funnier

>>1525383
>If ever needed any proof that money doesn't buy happiness, here it is.
Even $1 Trillion until share values in Tesla & SpaceX tanked can't even buy a new dick, Elol.
Fun Fact: You can never use the word "Happiness" without saying "Penis".
And that's all you are, Muskrat: a dick.

>>1525355
Elon, Trump, RFK, all of these guys really depress me
The richest man in the world is clearly still wildly insecure and miserable
The President of the United States is also a billionaire and is still clearly miserable
RFK was born into American royalty, was handed everything he could want, spent almost 40 years living a hedonistic life free of responsibility, and is still miserable
Between the three of them they've been on this planet for over 200 years and there hasn't been a single day of hard labor done between them
And they're still so desperately unhappy
What chance do regular slobs have at happiness when men who have been handed everything life has to offer on a silver platter are still this miserable?

>>1525355
> Musk claimed inflation wouldn’t be a problem. He said that you could print money and actually get deflation
Richest man in the world btw

>>1525384
>People died from USAID being cut?
According to the people working in the countries that were getting USAID, yes.
>Name 5 people who died due to USAID cuts.
Gbessey Kiadu, Peter Donde, Evan Anzoo, Yamah Freemen, Jubia.
And cool Musk line, faggot. How does it feel to be playing defense for the richest man in history and not even getting paid for it?
>I fucking love being lied to.
I know.

>>1525387
As has been said, money doesn't buy happiness. It can certainly help, but it can't do it on it's own.
There might be some science too being rich and miserable too. Our dumb monkey brains aren't wired to have that much resources. If we've got absolutely no worries about securing the things we need to survive, food and shelter and so on, our brains get confused and start inventing things to be scared of. I've only heard that in passing and don't have anything to cite, though.

>>1525389
Peter Donde-AIDS
Killed by Mutual Aid Sudan
Yamah Freeman
>was a 23-year-old woman who died in childbirth because you stopped paying for the diesel for ambulances in her part of Liberia.
lol. Fuckers can't even afford diesel, blame the US? Not my problem.
Gbessey Kiadu- no results. Probably retarded.
Jubia- also no results probably retarded.
How does it feel to spread activist propaganda?

>>1525390
As a Democrat I am greedy and think money can solve every problem on the planet.
All it takes is more of your money.

>>1525399
get a real job esl shill

>>1525357
So Musk knows people died because of his actions and is just pleading ignorance.

>>1525398
>w-well I can't find them so it d-d-doesn't count!
Fucking pathetic.
Peter Donde died of HIV. He was a kid. USAID was providing medicine, Elon cut it, so he died.
Evan Anzoo died of HIV. Also a kid. USAID was providing medicine, Elon cut it, so he died.
Gbessey Kiadu died of malaria. He was 1. USAID was providing medicine, Elon cut it, so he died.
Jubia died of malaria. She was in the fourth grade. USAID was providing medicine, fuel, and fucking mosquito nets, Elon cut it all, so she died.
Yamah Freeman died in childbirth. 23, mother of two. USAID was providing fuel for ambulances, Elon cut it, so she died.
>lol. Fuckers can't even afford diesel, blame the US? Not my problem.
You're backpedaling because you got proven wrong. Elon's cuts to USAID have killed people. Your shitty opinions on the matter don't mean a damn thing.
>How does it feel to spread activist propaganda?
Not propaganda, reality.

>>1525387
It's because they're frauds who all failed or scammed their ways into money.
In a decently run America all 3 would be poor.

>>1525390
Just like John Lennon put it, right?

>>1525405
Did he?

>>1525401
Did you expect him to admit it during the interview with the hostile media lady?

>>1525409
>hostile
lol sure. Could have been the nicest media lady ever seen and he still wouldn't admit to anything.

>>1525409
>Asking about facts is now considered 'hostile' in the fascist clown world

>>1525402
But imperialsim is bad, bro.
And activists lie about everything.
I have no way to verify these claims.
>Not propaganda, reality.
That's what propaganda does to a mofo.

>>1525398
Bro, 5 people indirectly died, so we need to give billions of dollars away. 5 people bro. Have a heart

>>1525411
fascism is a right wing ideology.

>>1525415
>And activists lie about everything.
What propaganda does to a mofo.

>>1525416
>USAID cuts have killed millions of people
>”Name five!”
>Ok.
>”That’s only five!”
Pathetic.

>>1525437
But none of them died due to USAID cuts. These are stories from activists.

>>1525442
god you're esl

>>1525442
>people were getting medicine and medical treatment from USAID so they don’t get sick and die
>USAID is cut
>people lose that medicine and medical aid, get sick, and die
I don’t know how much clearer a cause and effect you can ask for.
>These are stories from activists.
You realize you’re being a sort of activist for Musk right now, right?

>>1525447
>I don’t know how much clearer a cause and effect you can ask for.
AIDS, Malaria, and lack of diesel fuel?
A lack of diesel fuel being the most fucking ridiculous shit ever.

>>1525447
he's literally retarded, if he wasn't he wouldn't have this humiliating job

>>1525448
Which we were covering with USAID. Then Musk cut it and people died.
>A lack of diesel fuel being the most fucking ridiculous shit ever.
That’s not an argument.
They’re FUCKING POOR, you stupid cunt. It’s fucking Uganda. Yes, they lack fuel, they lack a lot of things.

Now just imagine that low iq autistic dipshit squirm if an interviewer was actually antagonistic

You expect me to believe that it's USAID's fault that the reason an entire fucking country, with a dictator that the US pays directly, couldn't fill an ambulance with fuel?

if you feel lonely this friday, just remember you aren't esl shill

>>1525490
Yeah man that’s crazy.
Hey, you know what other hospitals can’t run without US government money? Ours. Rural ones. Which is why they’re closing like crazy with the medicare cuts. The richest country in fucking history can’t seem to keep it’s hospitals open, so don’t talk to me about how unbelievable it is that a third world shithole can’t either.
And that still doesn’t change the fact that people are dying because Elon cut USAID.

>>1525491
oh my god he's literally alone on a friday night defending a billionaire who'd wipe his ass with this guys face ahahahahah oh my god

>>1525492
Man, it's just crazy to me that the president of liberia's motercade didn't have that problem
>The richest country in fucking history can’t seem to keep it’s hospitals open
You know as well as I do that this is because of private equity buying hospitals to leverage them with debt and then shut them down. Not being able to fraud medicare was just the excuse
>Arguing with liberals is just them pretending to not know anything meme.

>>1525387
You should be depressed about your own life, paid shill. They don't think about you at all, but you spend 24/7 posting about them

>>1525494
>Arguing with liberals is just them pretending to not know anything
Projection.

>>1525494
I get what you're going for. Why don't these countries pay for this stuff themselves? But even ignoring the massive hypocrisy of that statement, it doesn't matter, because the issue with the DOGE cuts isn't just the loss of funding itself, it's how sudden it was. There was no gradual withdrawal or process to transition to other sources of funding, it all just vanished over night. Even if these countries could/would pay for this stuff themselves, setting up that logistical network would take a lot of time, and in that time people would still be dying because Elon cut USAID.

>>1525388
This is a guy who 'won' at gambling by eating losses until he lucked into a win, and then claimed he was good at it.

>>1525498
Oh well. I'm not a Liberian tax donkey.
I don't want to even support my crap ass city of Democrooks by paying a 1% tax, and they charge me way more than that.

>>1525543
Didn't ask. We're not talking about whether or not you approve of what USAID was doing, we're talking about whether or not people are dying because Elon cut USAID. Which they are.

>>1525546
I mean yeah, if you use inflammatory mental gymnastics from activists anything can be blamed on anyone and any policy can be attacked with this skill.
I've seen it over and over again.

>>1525546
I'll share the new name I've given this particular segment of liggeral bullshit thought.
It's no tentatively called the Faggotfly Effect.
If Elon Musk cuts funfing to USAID, Liberian ambulances can't get diesel fuel.

>>1525547
>inflammatory mental gymnastics
Like >>1525447? You don't have to get up on the high bar to say that cutting aid that was keeping people from getting sick and dying lead to them getting sick and dying.

>>1525548
Didn't ask, don't care.
>If Elon Musk cuts funfing to USAID, Liberian ambulances can't get diesel fuel.
Yup.

>>1525549
AIDS and Malaria are sicknesses these people already had. The only evidence that we have surrounding these incidents is the word of mouth stories of activists who reaped those funds.
>Liberian ambulance can't get diesel
Diesel in Libera is $1.28. Someone could've filled the fucking tank with their pocket change. No one stepped up though. That level of lazy ignorant shit has nothing to do with Elon or USAID and is a failing of Liberia and everyone else involved in Liberia's Emergency services, if true, which it likely isn't.

>>1525550
The faggotfly effect means we don't blame anyone but the politically conveient.

>>1525550
>AIDS and Malaria are sicknesses these people already had. The only evidence that we have surrounding these incidents is the word of mouth stories of activists who reaped those funds.
Those diseases already existing doesn't matter, and insisting that the words of the people saying this just don't count is nonsense. I understand why you're pushing that narrative, but you're not going to be able to squirm out of the basic train of logic that cutting medicine that kept people from getting sick and dying lead to people getting sick and dying.
>Diesel in Libera is $1.28. Someone could've filled the fucking tank with their pocket change. No one stepped up though.
Already addressed that in >>1525498

>>1525552
I'm pointing out that your activist bullshit takes a leap of faith to believe in.
Peter Donde
>The immediate cause of death was an opportunistic pneumonia
Standard AIDS death and rather odd there would only be one death considering nearly 10% of Sudan is born with HIV.
Still not my problem if true.
>Liberia can't afford diesel
Sure thing faggot. They should've raised taxes then. Still not anyone's fault but Liberia and the Liberian government.

>>1525553
>I'm pointing out that your activist bullshit takes a leap of faith to believe in.
Thinking that people will die if you take away the medicine they need to live is not a leap of faith.
>and rather odd there would only be one death
There is no reason to assume that is the case.
>Still not my problem if true.
>>1525546
>Liberia can't afford diesel
Again, >>1525498. And even ignoring that, your argument doesn't make sense. Other parties not stepping in to save the people dying as a result of Elon cutting USAID doesn't mean that people aren't dying because Elon cut USAID.

>>1525554
I'll just call bullshit and leave to at that.
>There is no reason to assume that is the case.
Then why not report on that?
>And even ignoring that, your argument doesn't make sense
It doesn't make sense that Liberia requires US month to fill gas tanks. Why not simply seize some?

>>1525554
If Democrats weren't constantly making shit up to yell, "The sky is falling!!!" you may still own some credibility. However you're scammers willing to lie for what ever it is you want. No one should believe anything you say.

If Republicans weren't constantly making shit up to yell, "The sky is falling!!!" you may still own some credibility. However you're scammers willing to lie for what ever it is you want. Sane humans won't accept anything you say. Subhumans that believe otherwise, you cannot spell 'Believe' without the word Lie.

>>1525559
>If dems weren't always making shit up!
>THEY'RE EATING THE CATS AND DOGS! I SAW IT ON TV! SHE CAN'T TALK ABOUT MY CROWD SIZES!

Shut up faggot.

>>1525569
Dems are more likely to believe other lies from the TV like
>If you like your doctor your can keep your doctor
>If you're vaccinated you can't catch COVID and you can't spread COVID
>There is no link between Black Lives Matter protests and higher rates of COVID infection

>>1525574
>>If you like your doctor your can keep your doctor
False premise. Republicans made it so you can't keep your doctor.
>if you're vaccinated you can't catch COVID and you can't spread COVID
It's really weird how you people try to memoryhole Trump and Fauci's daily news conferences.
>There is no link between Black Lives Matter protests and higher rates of COVID
And who was President for a year during the worst of covid? I still have my uncashed Trump-signed stimulus check.