Why we shouldn't glorify Elon Musk

Elon. a visionary.  A disruptor. An innovator. 

There's no doubting his success, intellect, and abilities, but here are a couple of reasons why we shouldn't be putting the new owner of Twitter on a pedestal.

Eco-Modernist claim:
Musk is known to identify as eco-modernist preaching sustainability and alternatives to harmful capitalist practices. But what does that truly mean? Under the flashy name ecomodernism is simply cutthroat capitalism in a green guise. Instead of mining for fossil fuels to feed our thirst for technological innovation, we’re digging for lithium and cobalt (critical components of these so-called ‘futuristic’ electric vehicles).

The spiraling environmental cost of mining lithium aside, Tesla isn't known to have the most humane practices. Riddled with lawsuits over the deaths of child cobalt miners in Congo to leaving injured factory line workers untreated. Teslas' lack of ethical worker treatment is a sneak peek into the bleak future eco-modernism promises for the middle and lower classes.

Eco imperialism:

Investors, people of power, and the general public all hold out hope for clean technologies praying they'll save us from climate change but the truth in that statement is much messier than it seems. Teslas production requires the exploitation of workers, resources, and countries which in theory is cleaner but at what cost? The lie musk has built his empire upon crashes when you see through the buzzwords. The sustainable future he preaches is unattainable and unethical for the general masses. In the end, everything Musk speaks of works to sharpen class divides. Tesla, notorious for its sky-high exclusive prices, is synonymous with the eco-conscious upper class. Making Elon an environmental savior for his cult following of upper-class white American men at the expense of the rest of the world

Full circle back to eco modernism

Elon Musk we’ll admit isn't the only player in the game of ecomodernism but, he is the most prominent figurehead. If we continue on this path of technological advancement we disguise capitalism with climate action, perpetuating systems of oppression and exploitation. To build a future that is actually ethically and environmentally viable we need to reject the false idea of capitalism saving us from climate change. This starts first with holding Elon Musk accountable.