After the latest questionable tweet by Space X CEO Elon Musk, United Airlines has been questioned about its strategic Starlink partnership with Musk. Should the commercial decision to offer a superior product mitigate concern over doing business with an eccentric man?
Starlink Controversy: United Airlines Questioned Over Decision To Do Business With Elon Musk
Blogger-turned-wannabe-politician Seth Miller appears unhappy that United Airlines will equip its aircraft with high-speed Starlink internet:
Has anyone asked United how it feels about the public calls for political assassination by the owner of its newly announced fleet-wide internet provider? pic.twitter.com/XoEZ221DRl
— Seth Miller (@WandrMe) September 16, 2024
To Miller’s tweet, I say that his “outrage” is based on a false premise. Asking why Harris or Biden have not been targeted for assassination is not the same thing (not even close) as calling for them to be assassinated. But nuance often escapes the political class and so I see this entire incident as a tempest in a teapot.
Even so, I’m quite uncomfortable with Musk’s lurch into politics and some of the incendiary statements he has made or tweets he has seemingly endorsed. In fact, I put the following sticker on my Tesla:
But I do think there is some truth to recognizing that innovators are often eccentric and whether it be Space X or Tesla or Starlink, this world needs more people like Musk, not less.
But while I think Miller’s outrage over this latest tweet is itself outrageous (Musk even apologized Musk-style), I do leave open the fact that there could be tweets or positions expressed that cross a line, making it much more difficult to do business with Musk (and I won’t even get into what that specifically might look like, but think of something like calling for the destruction of the US Constitution or denying the Holocaust).
Musk has an absolute right to express his mind. But that doesn’t mean United or others must do business with him. And while Starlink currently offers the best in-flight internet and also offers an upgrade to Wi-Fi that United desperately needs, we weren’t going to buy Mercedes from Hitler, even if they were the best automobiles.
Musk will say what Musk wants to say…that’s just his character. I do hope he has people around him who care about him and are at least trying to help him think before he tweets…you and I must also think before we speak.
By the way, this isn’t the first time United and Musk have come into conflict:
It will take an airplane crashing and killing hundreds of people for them to change this crazy policy of DIE
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 9, 2024
(repsonding to efforts by United Airlines and Boeing to hire non-white pilots and factory workers)
CONCLUSION
As View From The Wing pointed out, Musk has said, “I reinvented the electric car and I’m sending people to Mars in a rocket ship. Did you really think I was going to be a normal chill dude?” And there is truth to that. He may, however, cross a line at some point which may force United’s hand…and my own as a Tesla customer. There is no mandate for ideological purity, but there are some positions that I find so toxic that I cannot, in good conscience, support even if I am missing out on a superior product. I’m not there with Gulf carriers and I’m not there with Musk, but that does not mean I might one day be there…
He won’t live forever. The united states and it citizens do lots and lots of business with people we don’t like, don’t agree with, and those we would not call friends. In this case, he offers a compelling product at a compelling price.
‘Cut off your nose to spite your face”? Of course there are limits, but this one probably does not cross the line.
That’s the beauty of having choices. Go ahead and sell your Tesla because you don’t like Musk. I heard great things about Prius. Also, don’t use Starlink if UA adopts it. You can rest and not use internet while flying. I have a friend that hates Bezos and refuses buying from Amazon. Good for him.
We all must make those decisions and I am happy to drive my Tesla, use Starlink, and buy from Amazon. But that’s really a separate issue from whether a company should use a product (i.e. can a company be neutral).
“Should the commercial decision to offer a superior product mitigate concern over doing business with an eccentric man?”
On B1d3n/Kamala v0ters would ever think about this aspect when it comes to a business deal.
No. Musk thinks we should boycott products/services from George Soros. It’s not a pure right vs. left issue.
You must not see Trump’s truth social posts to say that
I think Musk is wondering why its always deranged, psychotic leftists that try to murder Trump and not the other way around.
When you think about it, it also makes that idiotic sticker on your Tesla even MORE idiotic.
My sticker has nothing to do with this latest comment (which I had no problem with). It had to do with his tweet suggesting Jewish communities hate white people and the way he has transformed Twitter into a cesspool of spam.
I don’t agree with that bit about jewish communities but X is way better than it was before – finally being a free speech platform and free from despotic leftist censorship.
I was against the Dorsey Twitter model too, but I’m spammed with fake products, “girls”, scam CS agents, and useless products all day long. It’s like the ads here on this blog. I know they pay the bills, but what an annoyance…and I even pay for the little blue check mark.
Really? I’m only getting asian guys in speedos offering to show me a good time. Mine doesn’t work then its broken!
Free speech controlled by the second biggest man child in the world. Gee, I wonder what type of ‘man’ would feel the need to have 12 kids? I wonder what they could possibly be over compensating for? Hmmmm……
Musk claims to be for free speech but sure seems to censor lots of people who disagree with him or speak of him in a not positive way…
As opposed to a bunch of SF communists who take their marching orders from the Democratic Party, just the way you like it.
You don’t even know what a communist is lol
“he has transformed Twitter into a cesspool of spam.” Interesting. Tell me one single social media platform where that is not true. Do you. use LinkedIn? That was the last safe social media place to be and now I get tons and tons of AI generated profiles asking to connect with me. Some don’t have a single follower. Instagram? Their algorithm is out of control and the amount of trash I get from them is stunning. Facebook? I don’t use it anymore. I don’t use Twitter/X so can’t say much about it. Seriously, there is nothing better than an old phone call to communicate with people you want.
Yes, but Twitter was not like that before. I do get the same garbage on Instagram and Linkedin, no doubt.
LOL…you really think LinkedIn in is in the same class as ‘X’ or whatever the little boy who bought it as a toy is calling it this week? You people are truly weird. How twisted must your mind be to tell yourself X is just like LinkedIn. No wonder you ended up with the orange haired moronic freak selling Trump shoes and being shot at by his own voters. That pretty much sums up the Republican party today.
What an embarrassment.
I bet your pathetic ass is sad those assassins failed.
Except it seems to be right wing conservative types trying to kill him…
Also when you say “eccentric” you should bear in mind that Elon’s opinions are mainstream, held by at least half the country. It may not seem that way in your garbage hole LA bubble, but its true.
I don’t think half the population thinks the Holocaust was not real or that United is hiring pilots unqualified to fly.
Musk doesn’t believe the Holocaust wasn’t real and I challenge you to find proof that he does. And it is a very common belief that DEI programs result in the hiring of people qualified only by their race, gender, or politics and not actual ability (Which is correct).
Everyone has to pass the same test. You can be against letting in someone who is black or brown simply because they are black or brown (I am too), but then they, too, must go through the same rigorous training and testing to become pilots. It’s just crazy to argue otherwise. I’m not much of a DEI fan myself, but that doesn’t mean airlines are churning out unqualified pilots…
I have my doubts, and I wouldn’t put it past them to lower the standards for the DEI hires like they do at schools and in the military, or rush some brown woman through the program so they can put her in their next cringe “good leads the way” ad.
“Everyone has to pass the same test.” Sorry, but you are very naive if you think that way. Forced DEI is real and corporations are paying a very high price for that. I witnessed a failed DEI hiring process in a company I worked years ago. The hiring manager explicitly said internally “it has to be a woman because I am tired of hiring white man”. The problem is that the failed process did not hurt her but the poor woman that was hired. She had absolutely none of the skills needed to get the job done and she was gone within 6 months. I felt really bad for her. Another DEI BS that is happening in Colleges is the “first generation” admission to college. Yes, that is lovely that you want to bring people from families that never had a chance to study in College but you should have a minimum of qualifying requirements to admit such person. There are tons of examples of people being admitted to Colleges for being first generation and unfortunately they cannot deliver while in College. Again, they are the ones that suffer and not the person that implemented the recruiting process.
I don’t disagree with anything you said. But in terms of licensing pilots, there is no easier test for candidates of color or female or trans. It may be that the washout rate of certain candidates is higher and that really does hurt those who probably should not have been given a flight school slot in the first place…but if they cannot past the objective test, they don’t become licensed pilots…right?
And yet those first generation kids are graduating and doing well in college…
Also anyone can come up with a BS anecdotal story.
The real question with DEI should be are they hiring the top scoring “A” pilots or are they hiring lower scoring “B” and “C” pilots in order to fill their diversity quotas to satisfy the corporate leftists. By definition DEI is not prioritizing hiring the best of the best pilots.
I believe the crash of the Prime Air 767 near Houston and the near disaster of the United 777 almost hitting the ocean after takeoff from Hawaii showcase the negative consequences of DEI. Those pilots were qualified on paper but they were severely lacking airmanship skills.
Actually the whole point of DEI is that you can’t reject A pilots (or other qualified people in other jobs) because they aren’t White.
Where is your proof?
Awe you’re just as smart as ever I see, little Aaron.
Again, no proof, no because you have none.
Still as racist and homophobic as ever though.
Please little Aaron, no compliments. I already know you want my sack.
I just threw up in my mouth when I read that. I mean, ew, you’re gross.
Mainstream for those who follow angry, bitter, antisemitic creeps. You fit right in there you pathetic little troll.
Maybe you should try talking to people outside your little circle you ignorant F#ckiηγ cuήτwad.
There is a tribe of people just looking to be offended and try to cancel someone they disagree with,
Starlink is more than Elon Musk, it’s thousands of Starlink employee’s who are going to be providing high performance Wi-Fi. For free.
You can hate on the man, but I love what he is providing-Electric cars, reliable space craft and high speed, affordable Wi-Fi
+100 well said.
Great article!
I can’t believe I’m going to try to give Musk an excuse, but he has admitted to being on the autism spectrum. His socially awkward behavior, and lack of empathy back that up. Without a filter and a differently wired brain he probably does a lot of regrettable things.
Agreed – and I am really willing to give him a long rope to hang himself on.
Autism isn’t a way to excuse the racist/sexist/homophobic/etc things that come out of his mouth.
Aaron, it does seem you might be correct, but an actual disability combined with great wealth , support people that are all on the payroll, are often unlikely to be truthful Again I find pointing this out makes me uncomfortable.
Matthew, that second sentence (including your parenthetical comment at the end) certainly cannot portray your feelings about this. I assume you do not support using race as a plus or minus in hiring: it doesn’t read that way.
I am against pure race-based quotas. I am certainly for considering specific life stories and economic circumstances to show overcoming adversity but race absent that context should not be a factor.
A disability doesn’t make you say awful things like that. Only being an @sshole does. There are lots of people on the spectrum who don’t say things like that.
I don’t know little Aaron, you’re clearly mentally disabled judging by the idiotic things you write. Hard to believe you’re a fully functioning adult
This coming from one of the most vile, disgusting, and hateful trolls on here.
Starlink would be the answer to many IT problems I have but I will not do business with Musk or ever use his toXic soshul meejah service formerly known as twatter.
I think Musk won’t sleep well tonight now that he knows you don’t like him.
Excellent news even if you are making up a half wit comment.
Had Musk owned Twitter in 2020 we would have known,as fact, that…
The Vaxx™️ wouldn’t stop the spread of Covid.
The Hunter Biden laptop is 100% authentic.
That Joe Biden was addled by dementia and wholly unfit to lead
Musk is an immigrant who is trying to incite an assassination of an elected official in the US. Deport his hair plug having ass back to south Africa and seize his companies.
More klintbait
Agreed.
Use. Common. Sense. Is it really so hard?
Unfortunately, too much ketamine is melting Elon’s brain…
Your bumper sticker tells me that you deep down really know where the violence in society is coming from, and that this is an attempt to save your car from vandalism and the occupants from physical harm. Won’t work though, as the the violent factions of the progressive left won’t care about something so subtle
Someone has been drinking the MAGA koolaid…
Manboobs Musk is not an nnovayor. He just has money and buys into companies. He’s the product of a blood emerald smuggling apartheid lover, and has had daddy’s emerald spoon all his life.
He retweets Russian troll factories and sucks up to Eleven Ji Ping.
You can claim he’s eccentric, but he’s nothing but a massive right whinger.
You don’t like it/him, don’t fly UA. Full stop.
I know several lefties that utilize Starlink and none appear to be moving to another service just because of some dude’s tweet.