Recommendations of the Editorial team
Elon Musk has responded after Billie Eilish called him a “pathetic pussy bitch coward” for hoarding wealth during a global crisis. Last night, Musk responded to a Nov. 13 tweet summarizing Eilish’s recent Instagram Stories, and wrote, “She’s not the sharpest tool in the shed.”
Eilish singled out Musk after criticizing billionaires in her acceptance speech at the WSJ Innovator Awards for amassing their wealth when “people need empathy and help more than ever, especially in our country.”
Since the event, Musk has taken an ambitious step toward becoming the first trillionaire. Thanks to an unrealistic compensation package from Tesla.
Musk’s wealth and Eilish’s criticism
On her Instagram Stories, Eilish reposted several infographics from the activist movement “My Voice, My Choice” that highlighted ways Musk could redistribute his vast wealth. While the tech billionaire hasn’t technically reached this unprecedented limit (Tesla’s market cap would have to increase six times to reach $8.5 trillion), the graphics still offer realistic options for anyone with such inflated wealth.
The posts noted that Musk could end world hunger within five years if he committed $40 billion each year through 2030. It could also provide safe, clean access to water worldwide for just $140 billion annually over seven years. However, based on his response, he seems unwilling to implement any of it.
Possibilities of redistribution and reactions
During her appearance at the WSJ Innovator Awards, Eilish announced that she would donate $11.5 million from the “Hit Me Hard and Soft” tour to various organizations and charities. She gave her speech to several wealthy guests. Including Mark Zuckerberg, whose fortune is over $225 billion. “There are a few people here who have a lot more money than me,” she said. “If you’re a billionaire, why are you a billionaire?”
Eilish added: “We’re living in a time right now where the world is really, really bad and really dark. People need empathy and help more than ever, especially in our country. I would say, if you have money, it would be great to use it for good things and maybe give it to people who need it.”