Elon Musk’s confirmation of his $44 billion dollar deal to acquire Twitter comes after a process fraught with legal challenges and comic conjecture from Musk himself. He is no stranger to meme culture. This week, he could be seen walking into Twitter HQ, brandishing a sink, with the caption “let that sink in.”
Musk might move quickly, but the general public moved in kind this week to satirize him in the following memes.
Ziwe skewers Terrence Williams’ exaltation of Elon
To proclaim Elon as an African-American in business is, frankly, hilariously shortsighted. Ziwe does what she does best– skewering her victims with her signature style of entrapment that leaves us wanting more. In an AV Club article, she pokes fun at the earnestness with which people approach Musk’s background. His identity as an African-American man conjures to mind the high school students digging up their one Venezuelan great-grandfather as the focus of their diversity statement.
When memes become memes
Conservatives were quick to take advantage of Elon’s acquisition as a method of skewering supposed censorship and exalted the Tesla founder as somewhat of a harbinger for free speech. Many have rubbed the transaction in the nose of “butthurt” members of the left who view Elon as providing a safe haven for alt-right leaders.
Festive!
What better way to round out spooky season than with two perennial characters of modern life: Elon Musk and Spirit Hallloween. Spirit might actually be the only thing that outlasts Elon.
A transition of power
One imagines Elon in a board meeting absolutely butchering Parag Agrawal’s name. The former CEO of Twitter has been relatively silent since the acquisition, but there’s not doubt Elon ruffled some feathers when he fired top executives to avoid $122 million in severance.
IDGAF Attitude
Many praised Elon’s nonchalant attitude about being sued by Twitter, nearly certain he’d be undeterred in the acquisition of the company, and right they were. This meme sums up the sentiment of those optimistic that Elon will make Twitter a deregulated social space. Others are far more skeptical of his policies, believing his leadership will invite a hotbed of racism and antisemitism.