Tim BrayAt this point, I guess it’s reasonable to conclude that anyone buying a Tesla is an enemy?
Bruno Philipe@timbray they're either uninformed or complicit 🤷
V@brunoph And oh boy that's an overwhelming lot. People can be so out of touch.
John Mark 
☑️
Brian DearAnnoying stupid take, Tim. Disappointing. Same level, same dumb tribal logic as MAGAs ("anyone voting for ____________ is an enemy").
This kind of talk is what gets people hurt. I'm already hearing from people here in New Mexico who are being harrassed and even road-raged simply because they're driving a Tesla which often they've been driving for years.
All this plays into the hands of the oil and gas industry. You want a REAL enemy? I give you the fucking oil and gas industry.
Perrick@timbray Seems like the Europeans understood the message : https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/02/tesla-sales-plummet-in-the-uk-france-and-germany/
Ivan Sagalaev 
@timbray blaming individual customers is never a good take, in my opinion. Our choices are not always free.
Many people can't quit Facebook even if they would like to. Many people can't quit using Apple devices even though Tim Cook is now a full-blown traitor, just like the rest of the oligarchs.
What I'm saying is, it's too easy to label someone who is not you.
Graham Ballantyne@isagalaev @timbray pretty sure people who can afford to purchase EVs had and continue to have ample choice. No one is putting a gun to their head and forcing them to buy a Tesla. It’s not like "Elon is bad" is a shocking new realization.
@gnb @timbray you're generalizing and ignore all the life's complexities. Here's a concrete example: myself. I owned a Model S since 2017. Back then Elon wasn't bad, not from the outside. I bought the car because it was good, and it was a way to push adoption of a better, climate friendly tech. Over time Elon turned first greedy, then dumb, then evil, then nazi. I want to replace the car now, but it takes time. Am I a nazi now too? What about my Tesla home battery? Life's complicated.
Jeff C. 🇺🇦🇬🇱@isagalaev @gnb @timbray Somebody who bought a Tesla in 2017 gets a pass, as far as I’m concerned.
Anybody buying one in 2025 knows — or should know — what they’re supporting. It’s reasonable to make certain assumptions about them.
@jeff @gnb @timbray still no from me. If we apply the same logic to everything else, then whatever you buy you'll probably end up supporting one or several billionaires as they own everything. It's impossible to be 100% pure. Below 100% it's a personal choice, and I'm not ready to just smear *every single buyer* of what is actually one of the best cars out there.
Although I may be persuaded otherwise if we're talking specifically about Cybertruck :-)
@isagalaev @gnb @timbray Many things that amount to moral cowardice are matters of personal choice.
As is drawing obvious conclusions about the people who make those choices.
Nobody is saying that it’s realistic to be 100% “pure,” just that it’s ridiculously easy to avoid putting money into the hands of one specific guy who is instrumental in an ongoing effort to dismantle our country.
@isagalaev @gnb @timbray We’re not talking about a guy who controls all food or water distribution. Not giving money to Musk is EASY.
Buying a Tesla in 2025 is the very epitome of an avoidable purchase.
Numerous other fine electric cars exist, and many more good non-electric cars besides that.
Even if one grants that Tesla has the best EV — not a given — marginally worse self driving or whatever is a small price to pay to keep our democracy.
@isagalaev @gnb @timbray I wouldn’t say “enemy,” exactly. We have much bigger fish to deal with.
Clueless would probably be giving them too much credit at this juncture, though — Musk is a very public figure, esp. after his Nazi salute — but selfish? That fits. Indifferent too.
Anybody unwilling to give up minor comforts for the sake of others may not commit atrocities, but it’s reasonable to assume that they’ll avert their eyes while others do.
JohnB@jeff what’s the under/over on 2019? Wish I was asking for a friend.
@johnb Well, my opinion doesn’t mean much, but I think your friend is fine. 🙂
Musk has been a jerk for a long time… but a lot of CEOs are jerks, they are just better at keeping it to themselves.
He didn’t go all-in on supporting the Trump takeover / dissolution of our government — or actively begin talking part in the process of it — until just last year.
I feel bad for those who bought Teslas based on their merit, only to (figuratively) end up driving around a big red hat.
tripleman, a 🇨🇦 in 🇩🇪@isagalaev ffs, read the original post again.
@tripleman I'm standing by my original reply. Subsequent replies are to other posts and should be viewed as such.
Also, if you don't want to contribute any arguments and is just frustrated with me, feel free to just block me. Your message is not going to change my mind.
Brad Howes@timbray Sort of expecting an EU ban any day now.
Worik@timbray “that point" was long ago.
Toot Ωncommon - SHUT 🇺🇸 DOWN@timbray Lets not forget Subarus that are all equipped with Starlink now
Glen Schrader@opethminded @timbray Those are not the same thing, the Subaru Starlink has nothing to do with Elon’s Starlink
Jason Hunter@timbray Do you want to go into a Tesla dealership and tell the people working there how they’re the enemy? Pretty hard to make normal people the enemy.
I usually just tell them their CEO is awful and hurting sales.
Mike Cargal ❌👑You REALLY can’t make this assumption. There are certainly many Tesla owners that bought because they were the first practical battery electrics available and wanted to “put their money where their mouth is” to drive EV and hopefully, signal demand for electric vehicles. I’m adamantly opposed to what’s going on in the current administration (and particularly with Musk), but just going out and trading it in isn’t a simple financial decision for a retiree.