[zfg]

Any support of any of Musk's companies is now a political statement whether you want it to be or not.

Musk goes out of his way to make it political. He makes sure there is no separation between his politics and his companies. It is what you're signing up for when you buy from his companies.

[jrhey]

Nah, I don't make political statements with my purchases. You're thinking too deeply about it. There must be separation because I don't experience politics when driving Tesla.

[zfg]

There is no separation. You're expressing politics whether you want to or not.

Musk has politicized his public image and by extension his businesses, especially because he is the marketing department and public face of those businesses.

The only way to avoid it is to avoid buying his products.

[jrhey]

Which politics exactly do you say I'm unknowingly expressing?

This sounds like a very US centric point of view to have. Most people outside the US, like myself, don't hold these views of the Tesla brand.

If this was the lens everyone saw the world through, they probably wouldn't buy any mainstream tech including the digital device you're typing this on.

[zfg]

> Which politics exactly do you say I'm unknowingly expressing?

Musk's.

> This sounds like a very US centric point of view to have.

Musk is now part of the US government. He describes himself as "dark gothic maga" and "First Buddy" to Trump.

> Most people outside the US, like myself, don't hold these views of the Tesla brand.

Here is Musk directly interfering in UK politics. He is calling for the ouster of Kier Starmer, a change of leadership in Reform UK, and the dissolution of parliament among other even more extreme things:

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jan/11/majority-...

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2025/01/04/elon-musk...

Here is Musk directly interfering in German politics. He has called the chancellor an "incompetent fool" and backs the AfD:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/20/elon-musk-clai...

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/elon-musk-wants-weak-eu...

Here is Musk advocating for the submission of Ukraine to Russia:

https://www.npr.org/2022/10/04/1126714896/elon-musk-ukraine-...

Here is Musk advocating for the submission of Taiwan to China:

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/oct/08/elon-musk...

If he hasn't mentioned your country, don't worry. He'll get around to it eventually.

When you buy Tesla you are now buying into Musk's political actions whether you want to or not.

[jrhey]

Thank you for the links to sources. Already aware of some but others were definitely news to me.

Musk has already tried to interfere with my country’s politics on X (not listed above) but all I’m saying is I don’t link those political opinions to the Tesla brand and I don’t think it’s fair or healthy to say that another person holds the same political views as the CEO of the product they purchased.

Nobody decent is pro-child labour, rare earth mineral mining or buying diamonds from conflict zones so to say by buying a product of those practises is outward support of those practices isn’t right. Where do we draw the line?

[zfg]

This is not weak supply chain auditing. This is direct, blatant, in-your-face foreign interference into the politics of other countries. There's nothing subtle or nuanced about it.

Tesla owners will be perceived as Musk supporters (whether they are or not) because Musk is an attention seeking narcissist. He has made himself synonymous with the Tesla brand so buying Tesla means supporting Musk.

Here is the brand damage Musk has done to Tesla in Australia:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2024-08-22/tesla-reputat...

Here is Musk farcically calling the Australian government "fascist":

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/elon-musk-doubles-down-o...

There's an election happening this year in Australia. Musk will inject himself into it. He won't be able to help himself, especially not with his new "First Buddy" status:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-03/musk-could-turn-focus...

So I'd guess that Tesla will take another reputational hit this year in Australia.

[quantified]

You might not feel it yourself but you get assigned it by others anyway.

[jrhey]

Well, that’s not a very good way to live — assigning other peoples’ political alignments based on their vehicle purchases.