In an article a couple of days ago about AI and the government’s role in its ownership and profits, Steve Hanley shared that Elon Musk recently wrote the following: “Universal HIGH INCOME via checks issued by the Federal government is the best way to deal with unemployment caused by AI.” I almost couldn’t believe that was a real quote, so I looked it up. Indeed, here’s the post, which includes a couple more major claims as well: Now, it’s one thing to think some of the things here … like AI and robotics ending inflation. But the more shocking thing (maybe) is that Musk’s proposal here is so much against other things he has promoted or done. USAID couldn’t send a minimal amount of money to those starving and suffering in the world’s worst conditions, and it couldn’t provide minimal virus protection services, because of some wild assumption that the whole USAID organization was corrupt, but Musk wants everyone to get “HIGH INCOME” checks when AI and robots supposedly do all the work? Furthermore, perhaps even more relevant, Musk has attacked Social Security as the “biggest Ponzi scheme of all time.” So, wait, people can’t contribute money into Social Security during their whole working life and then get some back at an old age, but everyone in the country is supposed to get huge checks their whole adult life soon because AI and robotics will do all the work? I mean, there’s so much craziness here. Musk supposedly wanted to cut US government expenditures and reduce the deficit, but after crushing USAID, costing countless lives at minimal savings, and firing people who were investigating him, his companies, and his friends, Musk moved on. The US deficit has increased by about $2.5 trillion since Musk was playing his DOGE games in January 2025. Back then, Musk said that, “if the massive deficit spending continues, there will only be money for interest payments and nothing else,” and “if we don’t do something about it, the ship of America is going to sink.” Now, apparently, it’s not an issue? Oh, and by the way, how about we start discussing HIGH INCOME checks for all Americans? We’re not done, though. When someone pushed back in a very basic way by trying to point out that not everyone can have “HIGH INCOME,” Musk doubled down and even said everyone can have a penthouse. I mean, really, everyone can’t have a penthouse. As Wikipedia explains, “A penthouse is an apartment or housing unit traditionally on the highest floor of an apartment building, condominium, hotel, or tower. Penthouses are typically differentiated from other apartments by luxury features.” How is everyone going to have a penthouse and no one live in the cheaper apartments and condos. Image by ModernVistas from Pixabay. There are so many issues here. But that’s so obvious that it’s hard to understand how Musk could post these things, even more so the second post. If this didn’t make people wonder about Musk’s fantastical thinking, potential detachment from reality, and poor logic, what will? This is really Elon Musk’s account. It’s not a parody and he wasn’t hacked. When this is the kind of thing Musk thinks and posts on social media, and doesn’t even retract or learn from after many followers pointed out the breakdown in logic and the hypocrisy, isn’t it a little harder to believe in the wild, futuristic things he’s hyping about Tesla and SpaceX? These are honest questions. I truly wonder how much this makes people question his real-world business plans — or not. I mean, it’s two months later and SpaceX is on the verge of the biggest IPO in history and Musk is on the verge of becoming a trillionaire…. People across the country, not to mention the world, are suffering from hunger and poverty. Instead of finding ways to actually help them now, Musk has supported cutting services and aid. And now he says robots and AI will pull them all out of struggling circumstances and give them penthouses. I don’t know what else to say. Featured image by ImaArtist from Pixabay
