I note that Elon Musk's wealth now exceeds the annual GDP of Switzerland.
I think this makes him a state-level actor, and a *hostile* one.
I submit that we have tools for dealing with rogue states, and they should be applied to him until/unless he starts to behave. NB: said tools vary from polite talkings-to by diplomats all the way up to cruise missile strikes and invasions.
Okay but seriously... what happens to his empire if (say) a SpaceX rocket crashes into his Tesla, killing him instantly?
He's got what, 14 kids?
What is his line of succession?
@eigen I know that; but nevertheless, Musk is too "rich" to be allowed off the leash. Like it or not he clearly has state-level leverage and isn't shy about ratfucking eg. British politics by putting a finger on the social media scales for the racist right. He needs to be reined in, and hard—and threats that would work on a normal citizen are inadequate.
We need to reintroduce him to "Ultima Ratio Regum".
@virtualbri @cstross @eigen I’ve said for years that using an asset as collateral should count as realizing any gains on that asset and trigger capital gains tax as if it were sold at the collateral valuation.
Closing that loophole in capital gains tax would have cut him off at the knees a long time ago.
@cstross I definitely agree with you here, but I'm curious: is Musk the top priority because of his new bigger imaginary number? or because of his social-media reach (which he already had last week)?
I definitely don't think Musk is the only one that needs to be corralled; but should e.g. Peter Thiel be higher on the list?
An investigation reveals how Oracle founder Larry Ellison has quietly assembled one of the world's most comprehensive surveillance infrastructures through government contracts, healthcare systems, and law enforcement integrations - a data empire operating largely out of public view.
@HighlandLawyer @cstross @eigen
I like the cut of your jib!
(Edit) Also someone likes wrestling right? I wonder whether any of them are named Narcissus!
@cstross @eigen here's an old essay i like a lot on the subject of holding tyrants personally accountable. It is from 2013 so predates all... hand waves... this... but I find the argument persuasive.
https://www.philosophersbeard.org/2013/08/holding-tyrants-personally-accountable.html?m=1
@ZeroTrustWraith @cstross @eigen
Billionaires are evil human beings who should be reined by every government on earth. They should not be allowed to exist. They should have their wealth taken and returned to the people, either directly or through government services. They should be rendered "mere" millionaires.
That's not a controversial take; that's logical humanism.
Any calls for missile strikes are currently hyperbole (although American citizens have been drone striked for far less) but the broligarchs' crime spree is ongoing and escalating.
A trillionaire is an abomination, a human kaiju, whose destruction is measured in hundreds of thousands of deaths (so far). He should be treated as such.
@jrdepriest @cstross @eigen Ignorance is bliss. He's sitting on maybe $1 to $3 billion in actual liquid cash. The rest of his $1.1 trillion net worth is entirely on paper, consisting of the valuation of his businesses and their critical infrastructure, stock options, etc. His businesses also happen to sustain hundreds of thousands of jobs.
As stated previously, I don't even care for Elon Musk and some of the things he has said are extremely distasteful and arguably very bigoted. However, your views completely lack any nuance whatsoever. Immediately targeting people just because of their net worth is not something I can get on board with. Someone's net worth isn't necessarily a reflection of their character.
Stocks and flows, charlie, stocks and flows...
@cstross My ancestors developed an ingenious solution you won't believe!
Click here to find out more: <French History>
@cstross 007 style super-villain removal would be fun.
Probably the worst super-villain of the whole franchise though.
Who will be the first to acquire nuclear weapons: Musk or Thiel?
Thiel. He's shown some competence in the past and he's worried about the "Anti-Christ" so he'll probably think a nuke for Jesus will make everything all right.
god I wish
RE: https://zirk.us/@MidniteMikeWrites/116737966147769937
@cstross We genuinely need more security minded people in economics and politics, the stability of markets and the world depends on it.
@MedeaVanamonde hell, I'd settle for an IBM with his name on it, if dropped from high enough.
Historically, guillotines have turned on the poor; on people who happened to be related to or employed by the targets of the guillotine-wielders; on the people who did not share the exact ideology of those who won power; and then in full circle on the people who enthusiastically called for and employed the guillotine.
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