this post was submitted on 28 Jan 2025
1254 points (98.3% liked)

World News

40546 readers
2922 users here now

A community for discussing events around the World

Rules:

Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.


Lemmy World Partners

News [email protected]

Politics [email protected]

World Politics [email protected]


Recommendations

For Firefox users, there is media bias / propaganda / fact check plugin.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check/

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Summary

Bill Gates criticized Elon Musk for his support of far-right politicians, including the UK’s Tommy Robinson and Germany’s AfD party, calling it "insane shit" and accusing Musk of destabilizing political systems.

Gates questioned Musk's focus on divisive politics while managing global businesses like Tesla and SpaceX.

Gates also expressed concern about wealthy individuals influencing foreign elections.

Musk has faced backlash for controversial actions, including a Nazi salute.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [email protected] 67 points 2 weeks ago (34 children)

I have to question the judgement of Bill Gates when he calls Musk "super-smart". Maybe if Musk started out with no money, that would be fair in some sense. I think he was just lucky and unencumbered by ethics or self-doubt.

[–] [email protected] 57 points 2 weeks ago (15 children)

Maybe if Musk started out with no money, that would be fair in some sense.

Why is this american obsession on weighting the value of men with the money they made? Musk is an idiot regardless of his money or how he made it.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I'm not sure what you mean. I'm not American, and I don't place much value on enormous wealth accumulation. I'm just acknowledging that there is a difference between gaining enormous wealth with a hefty leg up from family wealth versus doing it from scratch, like growing up in poverty for example.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

You can't get that amount of money without exploitation. If you start from 0 it just means you have to actually work for it but end result is still the same.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I agree. If you started from 0 and got rich you became a class traitor.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

you should define the word rich better in this context. Personally I have started to think word "rich" as negative thing, someone who has more than they need at expense of others, but I dont think that is very common way to think.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

You're right, the term is very subjective. The lower bound for me is owning multiple properties, owning a business and making money from the labour of others.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago

Well, its okay to make some money from others labour, as long as its fair. But way it currently works, that some business owner gets majority of the value of someones work is not okay. That is just benefitting from being on stronger position than someone else and ultimately isnt much different from taking from someone by force. Its not like you can refuse to participate as people need to have money to live.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

making money from the labour of others.

So...anyone with a 401k

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 weeks ago

I think a lot of people don't consider the exploitation angle. Often they see someone like Bill gates as having invented windows and see his wealth as earned by goods provided that they don't think would otherwise exist. It's what capital teaches is the justification for wealth

load more comments (13 replies)
load more comments (31 replies)