Billionaire Elon Musk was mocked by Twitter users after he insisted he is "not brainwashed" and shared a meme that shows a stick figure emblazoned with several icons, including those of CNN, the religion of Islam and a derivation of the LGBTQ+ rainbow flag that brings marginalized people of color, transgender people, and those living with HIV/AIDS and those who have been lost to the forefront.
The stick figure is also shown wearing a face mask while stuck with several needles, a sign the meme embraces COVID-19-related conspiracies and anti-vaccination talking points.
But eagle-eyed Twitter users were quick to note that the Twitter logo is featured on the stick figure's right leg—where it is shown in the company of other social media platforms like Tumblr, YouTube, and Facebook.
You can see Musk's tweet below.
Musk officially acquired Twitter in October and has repeatedly insisted Twitter needs to go private if it wants to become a platform for free speech, though he has already come under fire for silencing his critics and spreading misinformation.
His stewardship of the company has sent advertisers scrambling and even prompted Massachusetts Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren to launch an inquiry into the harm Musk has caused to Tesla's investors since using Twitter as his "private plaything."
Moreover, a slew of chaotic policy decisions have further alienated the platform's users and Musk has walked back previous moves banning journalists while caving in to calls for him to appoint a new chief executive.
All of these developments—and more—did not go unnoticed by Twitter users who pointed out the meme's blatant disrespect for the platform Musk currently operates.
Musk continues to post inflammatory tweets even though his actions are having an adverse impact on the price of Telsa stock.
He posted his "brainwashed" meme a mere day after shares in Tesla plummeted to a 52-week low of $113 by midday, December 27, and as news outlets reported that would be reducing production at its factory in Shanghai, China by next month.
The Nasdaq Stock Market, the most active stock trading venue in the United States by volume, has fallen by 34 percent, around half of Tesla's losses, during 2022.
