Elon Musk is not an Autistic role model

 

Elon Musk is not an Autistic role model

By Helen Said, Autistic advocate, Melbourne Australia

I was initially excited when I heard that Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, had an Aspergers diagnosis. I thought that, by adding his name to the growing list of celebrities and innovators on the Autism Spectrum, we would all be a step closer to gaining Autism acceptance.

Of course, I had misgivings about billionaires hogging the world’s wealth in the face of growing poverty, and I didn’t approve of huge resources being poured into Mars missions, but it occurred to me that, if there had to be a billionaire class, they might as well be diverse, with an Autistic amongst them.

Since the 2024 US election campaign, my admiration for Musk has plummeted faster than Space X Starship hurtled into the Indian Ocean. Elon Musk has shown an absolute contempt for the poor and disadvantaged, both in the United States and abroad. This includes Musk’s attempts to shut down USaid (United States Agency for International Development), which leads US efforts to eradicate poverty, disease and humanitarian need.

Elon Musk has also attacked Social Security through his de facto leadership of DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency). This is despite the fact that over 70 million Americans rely on Social Security, many of them elderly and disabled. Despite having no official position within DOGE, Elon Musk allowed his job slashing crew access to the sensitive personal information of millions of Americans and falsely claimed benefits were being paid to millions of dead people. He further described Social Security as a “Ponzi scheme”, in an attempt to convince American voters that cutting services to poor people is somehow justified.

According to The Transmitter of 19 August 2020, “Almost one-third of autistic children in the United States live in poverty.” https://www.thetransmitter.org/spectrum/more-than-half-of-autistic-children-in-united-states-live-in-poverty/ . Elon Musk is in no hurry to identify with less fortunate Autistics. He continues to refer to himself as having Aspergers rather than Autism. The separate Aspergers diagnosis was removed from scientific literature years ago amid concerns about its elitist connotations. With a personal wealth of 347.7 billion dollars, Elon Musk has the means to address Autistic child poverty and many other pressing social issues, but his priority is to create societies on other planets.

Sadly, Musk has rejected his trans daughter, claiming she was “killed” by a “woke mind virus”. Most of the media criticism he receives, for actions like making a Nazi salute, is entirely justified, however Musk, like any other Autistic, is entitled to Autism acceptance. Criticisms about Musk’s odd social manner, or facial expression, should not be encouraged, just because he is a powerful figure. Rubbishing Musk’s social manner or expression signals to other Autistics that they deserve the same treatment, especially if they achieve fame or wealth.

While Elon Musk continues to be an example of Autistic capability, he is not an Autism success story in the full sense of the word. Autistics have a social conscience. Successful people lift others up. While Elon Musk’s wealth has ballooned, he attacks the most under-privileged. He isn’t the sort of person that Autistics should emulate.