Performance politics but empty words

Elon Musk held a live event on his social media platform X on Thursday with a leader of the German anti-immigrant, far-right political party Alternative for Germany (AfD), the latest step in the tech billionaire’s campaign to rally support behind reactionary candidates across Europe and North America.

Musk, the wealthiest person in the world, spent more than an hour speaking with Alice Weidel, co-leader of AfD, giving the anti-immigrant party a high-profile boost ahead of the national elections scheduled for next month.

The free publicity from Musk was a potential boon for AfD, which has been frozen out of mainstream German politics, in part, because its leaders have downplayed Nazi atrocities. The country’s domestic intelligence agencies are monitoring the AfD for extremism, and a German court upheld the surveillance last year, finding that some AfD members favor a two-tier society in which “ethnic” Germans are given more rights than people from immigrant backgrounds.

The conversation between Musk and Weidel was generally friendly, a dynamic that Weidel said was unusual for her.

“It’s a completely new situation for me that I just can have a normal conversation and I’m not interrupted or negatively framed,” she said. She called Musk a “visionary.”

Since purchasing X, then known as Twitter, in 2022, Musk has transformed the app into a megaphone for his own politics, helping to propel the comeback last year of President-elect Donald Trump. Musk has also reinstated the accounts of previously suspended neo-Nazis and allowed them to flourish on the platform, including with premium privileges and the opportunity to share in ad revenue and sell subscriptions.

More than 100,000 accounts were listening to the audio-only chat at any given time and, in all, more than 11 million accounts viewed the X post where the discussion took place, according to metrics on X. It wasn’t clear how many of the accounts were in Germany.

The event could have regulatory consequences for X in Europe. On Tuesday, the Party of European Socialists protested against Musk’s plans in a statement and asked the European Union to “use all the legal means available to protect democracy against misinformation and foreign interference on social media.” X is already under investigation for potential violations of the union’s Digital Services Act.

X did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the potential fallout.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Wednesday that the “ultra right” was being led “by the richest man on the planet” — referencing the Tesla and SpaceX CEO without naming him directly — and he alleged that the movement “incites hatred and openly supports the heirs of Nazism in Germany.”

Musk, during the chat, said that to him, AfD’s positions were “just common sense” and he cited the party’s views on energy policy and reducing immigration. He acknowledged, though, that he and AfD disagree on the value of solar energy, with Musk as a major proponent and AfD wanting to cut back.

Musk’s Tesla has a major factory outside Berlin, and the company has battled local opposition as it tries to expand its footprint.

Oh great another thread calling people thick and nazis. What a brilliant tactic, works every time.

Sago

Whitewavemark2

My point is that if someone admires Trump, Musk et Al then I think that you can assume that they are fascist supporters, who would vote for a Nazi party, - not uneducated.

That is most offensive and inflammatory.

I would like you to ask admin to remove that post.

You have gone too far.

I have read that Musk supports neo Nazi organisations…

eazybee

Whitewavemark2
Your assumptions about the beliefs of people who admire Trump are not only immensely patronising but also display an extremely narrow view of the electorate.

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

Whitewavemark2
Your assumptions about the beliefs of people who admire Trump are not only immensely patronising but also display an extremely narrow view of the electorate.

Elegran

Sago asks "What is wrong nail technicians and warehouse operatives? It is OK not to be academic."

Nothing is wrong with them, and there is nothing wrong with not being academic. There is nothing wrong with a nail technician having no interest whatsoever in Shakespeare's tragedies or the economic theories of Victorian pundits or the spread of archaic Indo-European languages.

However, a nail technician who, for instance, knows how the Government reaches decisions on crucial legislation which affects its citizens won't be conned into voting according to the loudest foreign critic of that government, who hates a certain demographic because (insert here the latest accusation) Education (and not just in the 3 Rs, though they are essential) is too valuable an asset to be kept for those in academic subjects.

A well-educated population, which does not just mean that they can read and write and count the change they are given for a £10 note, is a country where everyone is able to contribute to the country's economy and administration, and a support to their fellow-countrymen.

Thankyou Elegran this is exactly what I meant.

Education is not just about academia- and of course it is ok not to be academic.

A good education encourages curiosity above all. We should be encouraging young people to question the media they are exposed to, and education should lead them to question why they are not paid more, especially as some posters seem to acknowledge how important warehouse workers are- therefore they should have better pay and working conditions.
We have had austerity now for almost a generation and many young people have never known anything else so just accept their lot as 'normal.'
Meanwhile the rich get richer on the backs of the ignorance of the population and it has been planned this way.

Right wing groups exist in every country including the UK.

Trump did nothing especially bad last time he was president and I don’t expect him to this time. He wants to control migration and reduce waste exactly the same as the UK,

WhitewaveMark2Clearly you have no idea of why so many voted for Trump. You seem to think all those who voted for him are right wing fascists which, in my book, is a total insult to the large majority of Americans of all different colours and backgrounds who voted for him. You just don’t get it, do you ?

Whitewavemark2

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.gransnet.com/info/netiquette">Talk guidelines.</a>

That’s a pretty outrageous statement

I admire Musk for what he has achieved, I don’t think he should get involved in politics but his role is to stop waste in government, it certainly does not warrant him being called a Nazi.

I think you need to read your deleted comment again, it’s repeated and still there on Sago’s post above.
You don’t specify US groups and I won’t quote what you wrote but it’s there to read.

Oreo

Tho I disagree with your deleted comment.

Why? Are you denying that these groups don’t exist in the USA?

Those voting for trump will be absolutely aware of Trumps association with these groups and Musks support of Nazi groups in Europe.

I don’t under why the denial?

Tho I disagree with your deleted comment.

Sago asks "What is wrong nail technicians and warehouse operatives? It is OK not to be academic."

Nothing is wrong with them, and there is nothing wrong with not being academic. There is nothing wrong with a nail technician having no interest whatsoever in Shakespeare's tragedies or the economic theories of Victorian pundits or the spread of archaic Indo-European languages.

However, a nail technician who, for instance, knows how the Government reaches decisions on crucial legislation which affects its citizens won't be conned into voting according to the loudest foreign critic of that government, who hates a certain demographic because (insert here the latest accusation) Education (and not just in the 3 Rs, though they are essential) is too valuable an asset to be kept for those in academic subjects.

A well-educated population, which does not just mean that they can read and write and count the change they are given for a £10 note, is a country where everyone is able to contribute to the country's economy and administration, and a support to their fellow-countrymen.

Whitewavemark2

I think that the weakness in your argument is that the assumption that supporters of political parties or political issues are “uniformed”

They may be very informed indeed snd come to the conclusion they did.

Politics is the art of persuasion. At present the populists appear to hold all the cards. But this will change - it always does.

One thing guaranteed about politics is disillusionment.

I agree

Allira

It's still there anyway!!
Unless it was a different post.

On my thread it has been zapped.

It's still there anyway!!
Unless it was a different post.

Whitewavemark2

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.gransnet.com/info/netiquette">Talk guidelines.</a>

I have requested an explanation for the guidelines that say I cannot discuss neo-Nazi groups in the USA

Ps Spoiler Alert!!

Justine didn't win.

Sago

keepingquiet

It's quite simple: education. I was interested to see Justine Greening on Celebrity Mastermind yesterday.
She is the ONLY one time education secretary who was educated in a local comprehensive school.
This tells you everything about the ingrained privilege of the real establishment in this country.
She now works to raise expectations in working class children to achieve more than being nail technicians or warehouse workers.
I am not a Tory and always thought Justine was in the wrong party but it was refreshing to see and hear this.

What is wrong nail technicians and warehouse operatives?

It is OK not to be academic.

I was going to ask the same.

The country would grind to a halt without warehouse operatives.

I'm not sure about it grinding to a halt without nail technicians but a lot of people seem to use their services therefore they are part of the economy. I'm thinking of going myself.
Vanity? Probably.

I am sorry to see that a perfectly reasonable post was taken down.

My argument is that Trumps supporters are varied indeed, almost certainly sympathetic to far right causes, like those he is releasing from prison, and many others in America are Nazi- supporters. We saw them in full flow on J6 and in so many demonstrations in the USA

You simply cannot deny that fact.

Why on earth that was zapped I have no idea?

keepingquiet

It's quite simple: education. I was interested to see Justine Greening on Celebrity Mastermind yesterday.
She is the ONLY one time education secretary who was educated in a local comprehensive school.
This tells you everything about the ingrained privilege of the real establishment in this country.
She now works to raise expectations in working class children to achieve more than being nail technicians or warehouse workers.
I am not a Tory and always thought Justine was in the wrong party but it was refreshing to see and hear this.

What is wrong nail technicians and warehouse operatives?

It is OK not to be academic.

I was about to reply "Education" - but I see keepingquiet has already said that.

Whitewavemark2

My point is that if someone admires Trump, Musk et Al then I think that you can assume that they are fascist supporters, who would vote for a Nazi party, - not uneducated.

That is most offensive and inflammatory.

I would like you to ask admin to remove that post.

You have gone too far.

My point is that if someone admires Trump, Musk et Al then I think that you can assume that they are fascist supporters, who would vote for a Nazi party, - not uneducated.

What channel/time was Celebrity Master Mind please, keepingquiet. I'll try and watch it.