Parallels with Putin?
Musk may be the world’s richest man, but he’s also a pestiferous, self-aggrandising bore. His pathological narcissism drives him to believe he’s an authority on everything, it also means he can never admit mistakes and never be seen to lose.
I detect strong parallels between the Musk and Twitter scenario, and Putin’s dally in Ukraine. Both are megalomaniacs, brimming with hubris, and both are hurting because they’re losing face. Each got themselves in a huge self-inflicted mess while the world looks on, and to a narcissist, there’s nothing worse than that.
They both know they fucked up massively, and there’s no way to escape from the mess without losing face. That’s unbearable, so they either dig their heels in and inflict more damage on themselves, or they reframe the situation to make it appear as though they’re happy with the result. It’s clear as day in both of them.
Even more interesting is the fact that Musk was sending out ridiculous tweets the other day on the Russia - Ukraine issue. Among other things, he was making the point that Crimea has always belonged to Russia. Implicit in those tweets was the argument that Russia has fair claim on much of Ukraine’s territory. This incensed Ukraine’s political leaders to the point where one high-ranker told him to fuck off, president Zelenski also chimed in with similar sentiments, but milder language.
Applying my armchair psychologists hat to this situation, I can’t help wondering if there is something deeper here. Is Musk unconsciously identifying with Putin, supporting his unreasonable behaviour in order for Musk himself to feel better about his own situation. I have a few similar ideas on his motives, but I’ve got to get back to work!
Biting the hand that feeds IT
