IIn fiction, when a billionaire supervillain mobilizes an army of himself and his nefarious funds against British democracy, we send in secret agents to say a word or two. . That sector of the state seems to be dysfunctional, and I don't know who is to blame for that, but it's probably because of austerity.
Instead, our first line of defense against Elon Musk turns out to be Nigel Farage. Who could have predicted that the two would fall out so quickly? They are both very rational and accommodating.
It seems like just seconds ago Mr Musk was offering Mr Farage cash. By giving him so much money for stunts and Facebook ads, the next general election will be a dead giveaway. All Farage had to do was align himself with the simple question of whether Tommy Robinson was a folk hero or a far-right thug, and Westminster would be his.
Mr Farage's response does not represent a principled position. What Mr Farage actually said at the pro-reform East Midlands conference was that Mr Musk had “a range of opinions, some with which I very strongly agree, others with which I am more reluctant.” There are also some opinions.'' As criticisms go, it's weak. But as support goes, it's also pretty weak considering that could mean anything. Mr. Farage, like Mr. Musk, strongly agrees that children should be named with Roman numerals, but does he feel that he is reluctant on the issue of self-driving cars? ? Does he agree with Musk's long-term plan to colonize Mars, but feels negative about the existence of the Awakened Mind Virus? In Musk's context, his entire persona is built on provocation, and silence serves no purpose against those who demand either support or opposition. The man who spent $44 billion on social media platforms clearly intended to radicalize others, but was he primarily just radicalizing himself? Even if there were some mystical third way to counter incendiary and insidious rhetoric with deft silence, would it be of any help? Does Farage have any skills or experience in the quiet sector?
It was frustrating to watch commentator on the right In fact, he explains how this was a good thing for Nigel Farage, allowing him to stand up to Robinson (real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) with pride. In fact, his performance was more of a slouch, as if against the hope of spilling cash. From the back pocket of the mask anyway.
Still, I would like to give Farage some comfort from the lack of human kindness. He could have aligned himself with Tommy Robinson and agreed with another of Musk's tweet suggestions that Jess Phillips is a “rapist-genocide apologist.” And Mr. Musk would have found more freedom to say about British politics. Never mind that Mr. Musk is not bound by reality or evidence in these statements. It's all about spectacle. Mr. Musk's statements are authoritarian in the purest sense. It is better for him to dare his followers to refute and to exercise his power over them. He wants to replace the reality they observed with his own, and it needs to be made public. He won't be satisfied until he forces them to recoil from their core positions as the world watches – and this applies to every politician he has in his pocket, down to the new president. That would apply. This is why he quarreled with Maga over visas before the inauguration had yet to cool down, when immigration cuts were at the core of their proposals. Even if you don't have the time or inclination to understand the finer points of their dog-whistle politics, let alone love, it's horrifying to witness. I'm not looking forward to seeing Trump surrender on the issue of highly skilled immigration. No one likes sadists.
Meanwhile, I am looking forward to the moment when the Prime Minister will find an appropriate response to the ongoing smear by the billionaire who actually orchestrated the cover-up of child sexual abuse in Rotherham, with Labor being somehow complicit. I was looking forward to it with some degree of eagerness. In the 00's and 10's. Mr Starmer's words that this man was “spreading misinformation and lies” were more powerful than most expected, but a bit disappointing. I wish there was more in the “what we didn't know yet” area. But how do you reconcile that unstable energy? Democratic politics, whatever its hue, has yet to find the language to deal with someone like Elon Musk. There is probably no one who speaks more eloquently than money. The answer is probably very simple. Tax him until the pips stop chirping.
