Musk Sees Red After Professor Makes Baseless Claims About Tesla CEO's Family Having Owned Emerald Mines
Elon Musk, according to the US politician and professor, comes from a family that owned an emerald mine in Apartheid South Africa.
Tesla founder Elon Musk is known for his crisp opinions about literally everything. He generally voices them through his Twitter account.
Elon Musk slams US Professor over false emerald mines claim
Musk recently slammed a US professor after he claimed that the SpaceX founder's family owned emerald mines in Apartheid-era South Africa.
A professor at Berkeley and former United States Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich posted a video about the 'myth of self-made billionaires.' According to the video posted by the professor, several self-made billionaires came from privileged backgrounds.
He took a dig at all some popular billionaires. He started off with Bill Gates, claiming that the Microsoft founder's mother used her connections to help Microsoft get a deal with IBM. For Jeff Bezos, who claimed that he started Amazon in his garage, Reich had another theory. The man said that Amazon was ¡°funded by a quarter-million dollar investment from his parents.¡±
He added, ¡°Along with Musk and Bezos, Michael Bloomberg, George Soros, and Carl Icahn have all gotten away with paying zero federal income taxes some years.¡±
Watch the video here:
Elon Musk came from a family that owned an emerald mine in Apartheid South Africa.
¡ª Robert Reich (@RBReich) September 20, 2022
Bill Gates¡¯ mom helped Microsoft get a deal with IBM.
Jeff Bezos¡¯ garage-based start was funded by a quarter-million dollar investment from his parents.
¡°Self-made billionaires¡± are a myth. pic.twitter.com/qSpM9Zu24d
Elon Musk had a sharp response to the professor's claims. The SpaceX founder responded to the video and called Reich, ¡°You both an idiot and a liar [sic].¡±
You both an idiot and a liar
¡ª Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 21, 2022
Why the so-called self-made billionaires are who they are today, according to Reich
Robert Reich also mentioned in his video that labour exploitation, inherited wealth and systematic inequality are some of the main factors because of which self-made billionaires are where they are today.
¡°To claim these fortunes are ¡®self-made¡¯ is to perpetuate a myth that blames the wealth gap on the choices of everyday Americans. Billionaires are not made by rugged individuals, they¡¯re made by policy failures and a system that rewards wealth over work.¡± he concludes.
A lot of people on the internet dissed the professor's claims. Many supported all several self-made billionaires mentioned in the video including Elon Musk. One user said, "Elon Musk never owned an emerald mine. His father told the media a story abt a mine he partially owned which is what started the rumor. His father also abused his mother who left him & lived in poverty raising 3 kids."
Perhaps you should do some research before making up lies about @elonmusk.
¡ª Johnna Crider (@JohnnaCrider1) September 21, 2022
Here is a long detailed thread and a well written article by a journalist who actually interviewed Elon. https://t.co/EB5Hj1HGDi
Elon was NOT rich growing up. Their mother abandoned their entire life and moved to Canada. Get it right.
¡ª EVentually ?? (@SPKolten) September 20, 2022
As a person who experienced bullying, why are you targeting Elon? Perhaps you don't want to notice or simply don't admit to others, but you have turned into an abuser, mocking a worthy person who protects the interests of all mankind. Your lies about him are disgusting!
¡ª Evangeliona ?Claudius Nero¡¯s Legion ? (@EvaFoxU) September 21, 2022
Not true in the case of Elon Musk and Steve Jobs at least.
¡ª martin (@Mrtnvrbst) September 21, 2022
In 2021, Elon Musk refuted such reports as well in a tweet. He had stated that there is no evidence of an emerald mine at all. He stated that he arrived in Canada with CA$2500 and paid his own way through college. By the end of it, he owed over $100,000 in student debt, wrote Musk.
1/2
¡ª Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 25, 2021
This article is false.
- I arrived by myself in Canada in ¡®89 with ~CA$2500
- Paid my own way through college, ending with ~$100k student debt
- Started 1st company with no funding & just one computer I built
- There¡¯s no evidence whatsoever of an ¡°emerald mine¡±
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Building, coordinating and crafting engaging content for lifestyle brand 'Evolve' at Indiatimes. Successfully revamping the lifestyle section including topics such as mental health, relationships, self, skin care, music etc. I collaborate with experts from various fields to gather insights and create well-structured pieces.
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