[sbuttgereit]

But you know... they're all complex. Even you are a complex human being... maybe not so visible as Elon Musk... but... so what?

You know why people really do it? It has nothing to do with Elon Musk, but rather is a response to our own fears for our own social standing. We fear that if we say something good about a person that our social group has, in defiance of your complex human point, decided is "a bad guy" that we'll just as cavalierly be excluded or derided from that group.

So when you acknowledge that complexity or something good that this "good for nothing" person has done, you have to start off with with virtual signaling: "oh this guy is terrible, but... ", (meaning "please see that I'm still one of you").

I find the whole act kinda craven, perhaps even moreso than a social group that demands it.

[causality0]

It's very much a "religion of society". There is dogma, sins, shunning, confession, penance, blasphemy, heretics, etc. Just because it doesn't have a creation myth doesn't make it not religious.

[evilduck]

A more gratuitous interpretation is that someone who does this is making an attempt to stave off the expected vapid replies that occur whenever you mention polarizing topics or people.

[edgyquant]

The hive mind has decided he’s bad, so you have to make sure everyone knows you hate him too otherwise you risk being ostracized as well

[lobsterthief]

Nah, I dislike him regardless of what the hive mind thinks.

[t43562]

That might be what you would do but I think the man is a shit and I only mention his achievements out of duty to try to be fair. If I wasn't interested in being fair I'd just say I don't care what he has done - he has been paid well for whatever it is and doesn't need any admiration from anyone.