We Don't Need to be Terrorized by Elon Musk
“Art comes from joy and pain… but mostly from pain” - Edvard Munch.
The image of a Cybertruck in a blaze outside of a Trump hotel is, in a way a work of art. A desperate man’s last attempt to bring attention to his suffering. “Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives.” Matthew Livelsberger wrote in his notes app before taking his own life on New Year’s Day.
The explosion following his death is a perfect illustration of Trump and Elon’s co-presidency. There is a specific image from an October Trump rally in Butler, PA. Trump standing at the podium while Elon jumps up with his arms in the air, belly busting out of his shirt. Hold it up next to that photo of flames bursting out of the Cybertruck, it’s the same picture. The only difference being, I didn’t enjoy getting flashed by Elon but I know we all secretly enjoy seeing a Cybertruck absolutely destroyed.
It could also be seen as a representation of Trump and Elon’s volatile relationship. Like all art, it is up for interpretation. I’d be interested in how others view it. I see a lot of comparisons to what happened with the near government shutdown at the end of December. A month before inauguration day Co-Presidents Trump and Elon had their first test run, the House and Senate had to vote on a bipartisan funding bill. But two days before the vote Elon was going off on X bashing the bill, “Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!”. It seemed like the bill had been crushed, there was mass panic that the government would be shutdown over the holidays. In the end, the bill passed overwhelmingly 366-34. Elon overestimated his power.
A quote by Cesar A. Cruz keeps coming to mind “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” Well, maybe I’m disturbed because this image brought me a strange comfort. Elon’s explosive outburst may be big and loud but the blast will be contained by his own naiveté, his lack of understanding of American institutions. The Cybertruck contained the explosion, the blast didn’t even shatter the Trump hotel’s glass doors. And the government didn’t shut down. The majority of the damage was done to Elon’s ego. After the initial smoke clears he’s the only one burned, like the blackened, blistered Cybertruck left smoldering in Trump’s shadow.
Sources
About Matthew Livelsberger
The Explosion
Elon
Trump and Elons relationship history
Bipartisan Funding Bill
Great insight:
"The majority of the damage was done to Elon’s ego."
May he burn in hell.
This is an excellent post, you are a really good writer!! And I completely agree with you. Love the burning cyber truck as a metaphor.