Satire and Inequality

Satire’s potency cannot be overlooked, especially now, in an era where brands have become inextricably linked to the individuals leading them. Tesla, the prime example of a brand turned toxic because of its founder, has stooped so low that one JPMorgan analyst cited the “unprecedented brand damage” in their estimates. But as easy as it is to attribute Tesla’s swift crash and burn to their founder’s “roman salute”, it’s important to remember that there was a pattern of unhinged behavior well before the salute.

In 2018, Elon called the British cave diver who rescued 12 boys and their soccer coach from an underwater cave a pedo. After he took over twitter in 2022 there was a dramatic and measurable rise in hate speech on the platform. And in 2024 Tesla settled a racial discrimination lawsuit with a former black employee.  But despite the incompetence and blatant racism, Elon and Tesla seemed untouchable. At one point in December of 2024, Tesla reached a market cap of $1.5 trillion, or 5% of US GDP, and as of April of this year, Elon is still considered the richest man in the world with a net worth of over $300bn.

But unlike previous years, artists and organizers have begun to broadcast and make a fool out of the EV billionaire. Tesla Takedown, and Everyone Hates Elon are two grassroots groups that are helping ensure his downfall. Tesla Takedown encourages people to “sell their stock and their Teslas”, and has led thousands to protest at their local Tesla dealership.

Everyone Hates Elon has taken a slightly different, yet just as effective approach. They print out bus signs of agitprop and put them around the city, print out cutouts of Elon’s salute and proudly position them in Tesla dealerships, and earlier this month recorded slow motion demolition of a donated Tesla with Beethoven’s Ode to Joy playing in the background.

As easy as it is to believe that Musk is simply suffering the consequence of his own actions, it’s important to remember that for years up until now, he and his company had gone unpunished, and in fact thrived. But the salute incited organizers and artists alike to act, and since then the stock has fallen by over 20% and their first quarter profits have fallen even faster. Who knows where the company will be in a year from now. Maybe Musk will return to the company and all will return to normal, or maybe the company will continue to underperform and suffer the same fate as its Full Self-Driving Service and spiral out of control.