Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, the richest man on earth, was recently named TIME Magazine's Person of the Year for 2021.
The Person of the Year distinction isn't an award for "best" person of the year, but rather for the person who influenced a year the most. Still, thousands of social media users still took issue with Musk being granted the title, and with the accompanying profile that described him as "a man who aspires to save our planet and get us a new one to inhabit," and one who "dreams of Mars as he bestrides Earth, square-jawed and indomitable."
With a net worth of nearly $300 billion, Musk's wealth is greater than the entire gross domestic product of multiple countries. As such, he's most recently made headlines for his opposition to expanded taxes on the super wealthy.
Earlier this week, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts responded to the Person of the Year news by calling on a tax code that would make Musk pay his fair share.
Let’s change the rigged tax code so The Person of the Year will actually pay taxes and stop freeloading off everyone else. https://t.co/jqQxL9Run6
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) December 13, 2021
Musk, ever the edgelord, responded with a Twitter tirade.
You remind me of when I was a kid and my friend’s angry Mom would just randomly yell at everyone for no reason
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 14, 2021
Please don’t call the manager on me, Senator Karen 🙏
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 14, 2021
And if you opened your eyes for 2 seconds, you would realize I will pay more taxes than any American in history this year
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 14, 2021
Don’t spend it all at once … oh wait you did already
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 14, 2021
Musk responded by saying he would pay more taxes than any American in history this year (again, due to his voluntary selling of Tesla shares, not due to a tax code that compels the super wealthy to pay their fair share), before calling Warren "Senator Karen."
All the more rich (so to speak), is that Musk has relied on billions of dollars in government contracts and subsidies to fund his empire. This is despite paying zero dollars in income tax as recently as 2018.
People were annoyed at Musk's retorts.
The funny part is that you actually are the manager Elon. So stop acting like your the worker. https://t.co/OXN17dzmGS
— Nelini Stamp 🐺🐜 (@NelStamp) December 15, 2021
This is his response when Sen. Warren said hey maybe a guy worth $297 billion should pay more taxes https://t.co/GBqI8N5gZs
— Secular Talk🎙 (@KyleKulinski) December 15, 2021
Habibi, I don't think you understand what a Karen is. Forcing your entitled ass to pay your taxes isn't being a "Karen," it's a being a damn Senator. https://t.co/yTWHpETgly
— Dr. Abdul El-Sayed (@AbdulElSayed) December 15, 2021
The richest person in the world, as if the 1% are the micro-managers of every aspects of our lives https://t.co/0hZbWpNffL
— The Debt Collective (@StrikeDebt) December 15, 2021
Was this supposed to be funny https://t.co/uhOq5Az0VB
— Jack (@goopcoin) December 15, 2021
Pushing 60 acting like a teenager :( https://t.co/0KlrnkbRLw
— Dan ⚰️ Endwalker Era (@AzureCoffin) December 15, 2021
Social media users hoped TIME's editorial board was still proud of their decision.
This was your person of the year @TIME? This petulant little child? https://t.co/OmRA4oLuhc
— Adam is Unwell (10 min version) (@adamj_griff) December 14, 2021
Is this your king, @TIME? https://t.co/gFNFmaKfzJ
— Alisha Grauso (@AlishaGrauso) December 15, 2021
Congratulations Time Magazine Editorial Board! https://t.co/Ib758wZ2Uz
— Guy Endore-Kaiser (@GuyEndoreKaiser) December 14, 2021
Last month, Musk issued a similarly juvenile response to another Democratic Senator—Bernie Sanders of Vermont—for having the gall to suggest the richest man on earth pay more in taxes.
