Elon Musk Talks Twitter, Censorship and the ‘Woke Mind Virus’ on ‘Real Time With Bill Maher’

Technology billionaire Elon Musk made an appearance for a discussion on “Real Time With Bill Maher” on Friday.

I engaged in a conversation with the host about his purchase of the company, freedom of expression, suppression of information, and his reference to the ‘woke mind virus.’ Musk, who acquired Twitter in the previous year, was part of this discussion.

Musk expressed to Maher, “These are two of the facets of the ‘woke mind virus’ that I believe are highly perilous…. One cannot challenge matters, even the act of questioning is unfavorable. Cancel culture is nearly equivalent. Additionally, individuals have made numerous attempts to cancel you.” “I believe we must exercise great prudence when it comes to anything that opposes meritocracy and anything that leads to the stifling of freedom of expression.”

“Those who haven’t truly transformed, perhaps it’s now a larger collective, who are referred to as conservative, you and I both belong to that small community of individuals. I don’t perceive you as a conservative,” Maher replied, “And it’s quite fascinating.”

Musk stated that he “at the very least” considers himself “as a moderate.”

“Musk stated, ‘I have dedicated a significant portion of my life to promoting sustainable energy by utilizing solar power, batteries, and electric vehicles, all in an effort to contribute to environmental preservation.’ It is not precisely aligned with far-right ideologies.”

Musk indicated to the “brainwashing occurring in educational institutions” when Maher inquired about Musk’s thoughts on the origin of the alleged “woke mentality contagion.”

Musk stated, “however, we ought to possess a more comprehensive understanding of George Washington than that. Slavery is undeniably a dreadful establishment, yet we should strive to acquire more knowledge about him.” Well, perhaps it would be beneficial for you to expand your knowledge beyond that. ‘Nothing.’ ‘What else?’ ‘That he possessed slaves.’ They could identify Washington, prompting him to inquire, ‘What other details do you know about him?’ His daughters attend high school in the Bay Area, and he asked them, ‘Who were the initial presidents of the United States?’ “Allow me to share an anecdote that a friend of mine narrated. Or the topics that are excluded from their education,” Musk expressed. Generally, parents are unaware of the curriculum their children are being exposed to, and this has been the case for a decade, maybe even two… The educational experience we encountered during our own high school and college years differs significantly from the current experience of today’s youth.

He said, “these children, it angers them, and even I don’t easily get canceled, so it’s difficult. The platform on Twitter has caused him a lot of trouble, mentioning the mean girls’ mob, which turned the conversation with Maher.”

Musk stated that he obtained it and therefore had to “implement extreme measures.” He mentioned that the platform was on the verge of financial failure without explicitly mentioning his contentious Twitter Blue initiative, which recently eliminated verification for all users except those who paid a monthly subscription fee of $8.

Musk stated, “there was no alternative, I had to implement extreme measures, it was rapidly headed towards insolvency following the acquisition so the situation is currently relatively stable.”

There was a significant amount of censorship occurring, and I discovered a great deal of it through the Twitter Files, including a plethora of government-imposed censorship, which appears to be a breach of constitutional rights. He also brought up the issue of censorship within the platform, stating, “I am worried about Twitter being somewhat like a digital community gathering place, and it is crucial for there to be trust in terms of both actuality and perception, encompassing a diverse array of perspectives.”

The interview concluded with Maher expressing his desire to experience marijuana with Musk.

The CEO of Twitter appeared on “Tucker Carlson Tonight” for a two-night interview on Fox News, where he discussed the implications of artificial intelligence and touched on the conversation about the value of purchasing Twitter. This represents a major new stop for Musk on his media tour this month.

The right-wing commentator would cease to receive backing from Rupert Murdoch, head of the corporate parent of Fox News, as Fox News revealed that the veteran anchor would depart from the network six days after Carlson’s conversation with Musk was broadcasted.

Musk, in his discussions with the media, characterized his acquisition of Twitter as encountering a “continuous assault.” By procuring the company for a staggering $44 billion, Musk’s public attention grew even more intense in the previous autumn, as he has long been a polarizing figure.

I don’t block anyone, so I don’t get a lot of negative feedback. I think it’s important to not block the entire list of people who give negative feedback, and I don’t turn off replies. If you think I get a lot of negative feedback, I told you earlier this month that it’s rough – including on Twitter, where you get fed with attacks or constant criticism. If you’re under constant attack or criticism, I don’t have a heart made of stone like some people.

Among numerous other concerns, the billionaire has faced criticism for discontinuing Twitter’s traditional verification program and reinstating Donald Trump’s account, which had been previously prohibited.