[nntwozz]

Most people soon forget and really don't care about these things.

The Volkswagen company originated during the Third Reich in an attempt to create an affordable car for the German people. Volkswagen used both Jewish and non-Jewish forced labor, primarily from eastern Europe. The company operated four concentration camps and eight forced-labor camps on its property.

7 Brands With Nazi Ties That We All Use https://allthatsinteresting.com/major-brands-nazi-collaborat...

[marcuschong]

I'd argue that, as horrible as that was, it wasn't as centered in one person as famous and important as Musk. Like buying phones we know were perhaps made by people treated like slaves in China, versus buying something that is represented by one famous person that wants to bring back slavery.

[pjc50]

Making decisions about VW based on 80 years ago is silly. The 2020s reason to hate VW is their lying about emissions scandal.

[nntwozz]

Yep, for sure.

But even that goes to my point, people still buy VW because they're either ignorant or soon forget these things.

This is the world we live in.

[senordevnyc]

We have very different ideas of the word "soon".

[KeplerBoy]

What a ridiculous comparison!

VW didn't even build cars for consumers during the war years.

[jordanb]

Yeah the whole "people's car" was actually a Nazi memcoin rug-pull scam. They got millions of Germans to put down deposits and make payments for "future delivery" of their "people's car" but zero were ever delivered during the third reich.

[nntwozz]

People selling their Teslas afraid of associating with Musk is the topic here and the point I'm making is that the current political climate around this company will be a footnote in history that most people will care little about (if not already).

This too shall pass, frankly I think it's a form of cringe virtue signaling.

It's also a form of collective punishment, "I won't buy Tesla because I don't like Elon" is certainly a valid opinion, but what about all the workers who have nothing to do with his politics?

[short_sells_poo]

> but what about all the workers who have nothing to do with his politics?

This is a preposterous argument, I'm sorry. Should I feel sorry for people who enable Musk's antics? Why? They get paid very well to work for him I'm sure.

I disagree with Musk's antics and as such I'm not going to give him money. What's so difficult to understand about this?

I don't care that in 20 years time he'll be forgotten. We are here and now, and the best way to send him a message that what he is doing is not OK is by hurting his wallet.

[nntwozz]

You're sending a message to Elon about as much as sending a message to Mars Inc by not buying a Snickers bar.

Sending "real" messages is more than not buying things from companies or people you don't like and then virtue signaling about it online from the comfort of your armchair.

I think it's highfalutin.

[short_sells_poo]

So you are saying I should instead happily give him my money even though I deeply disagree with what he's doing? Let's take your argument ad absurdum: you'd happily give money to a mass murder as long as he was making a product you like?

[nntwozz]

I'm not saying you should do anything, but many people will buy Tesla because they don't see Tesla and Elon as the same thing.

[LightBug1]

How's does that 10% share price collapse, off the back of slumping European sales, fit into your world of messages?

[senordevnyc]

Why do you care what other people do with their money?

[nntwozz]

There's a difference in caring about something and pointing something out as meaningless and contrived.

[palata]

Do you think many people opposing the Nazis were buying VWs during the war?

"Those Nazis are killing our soldiers right now in the north, but I will still buy one of their good cars", said nobody.

[nntwozz]

That's a moot point. Tesla was making cars before Musk became what he is today.

[palata]

Moot or not, I won't buy a Tesla after what Must has become, and I will shame whoever does.

[senordevnyc]

I won't shame anyone for it, but it does factor into my view of their values.

[nntwozz]

I'm sure you've got a very high horse.

[aredox]

At least you could buy a VW from 1945 on and not finance the Nazi war machine.

But before that? You were a clear collaborator.

[ZeroGravitas]

The British Military Government rebooted Volkswagen after they firebombed the Nazis to the ground and hung a few of the ringleaders.

https://www.volkswagen-group.com/en/volkswagen-chronicle-173...

[rsynnott]

And now it's a public company with a CEO so obscure that he _does not even have a wikipedia page_. "Oh, well, Ford and VW used to be run by evil bastards most of a century ago so it's improper to point out that Tesla currently is" is a bizarre argument.