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Comment by estingala | Hacker News Reader

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Talking about their experience with faults is not unrelated to the article.

> As a Tesla owner, I don't like these kinds of associations

If you dislike it "as a Tesla owner" it sounds like you're validating the general idea of associating people with the brand, you just think the CEO in particular should be excluded?

Rather than "validating" it, I'm experiencing it. That's why I believe in a forum of generally highly educated people like Hacker News, we would be better off not mixing those topics and talking about politics.

It is not "politics". It is an ethical stance rooted in opposing actions that undermine human rights, democracy, and equality. When a government enacts policies that deny people's existence, strip protections, and erode freedoms, supporting entities aligned with that government enables those harms. Economic choices reflect values, and choosing not to support businesses tied to oppressive systems is a means of accountability, not mere political disagreement. It transcends "politics" by standing firmly for fundamental human decency and justice.

Much apologist to a man who non ambiguously did what he did and saying other people to refrain from talking about it? No, we should absolutely talk about this precedent in recent history regardless of a fact that we are on a technical forum.

He didn't say anything about Tesla owners. You're implying many more meaningful associations between the company and people than he did.

But Tesla is involved in politics, in multiple fronts: as a lobbyist of government, as a company owned by someone getting deeply in cahoots with politicians, as a stock being used as collateral for political purchases of media (Twitter).

What you are asking is wishful thinking, Tesla has became political because of Elon, there is no way to dissociate this relationship.

You deciding to purchase a Tesla even with the moral hazards does have consequences, shame and laws are the only tools against moral transgressions, you are just experiencing the pressure of that tool which is exactly the point...

Either live with your decision and its consequences or do not buy a Tesla associated with Musk.

> As a Tesla owner, I don't like these kinds of associations, which sadly are becoming mainstream

So, wait, you're worried about people associating _you_ with the brand, but think that they shouldn't associate _Musk_ with the brand?

Maybe you should care or investigate who are you giving money to. Maybe even not buying a car is a good idea.

> (otherwise, I would buy no car)

Why not just do that? It's the best option.

Musk's political views are pretty hard to miss nowadays

> mentioning his CEO and your perception about his ideology

It's not perception, it's reality: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jan/20/trump-elo...

These guys like it: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/elon-mus...

Musk is making a point of supporting far right parties internationally: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jan/25/elon-musk...

And his far right views are not new: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/nov/16/elon-musk...

Musk is an attention seeking narcissist who has gone out of his way to make himself synonymous with the Tesla brand. When you buy Tesla you're now buying into Musk's far right politics.

He's done a lot of damage to the Tesla brand: https://insideevs.com/news/748520/model-y-social-media-junip...

If you don't want to be associated with Musk the simple solution is don't buy Tesla.

> These guys like it

By such reasoning anything extremists like is extremist by association.

How does that make sense?

They correctly recognized it for what it was.

The brand damage is big this time. Teslas are now being called "swasticars".

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