Elon Musk’s life is on ‘hardcore mode’ – he is the world’s richest man but can’t buy milk

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, says his life is currently running on “hardcore mode,” making it virtually impossible for him to leave the house for basic errands like picking up a carton of milk. This isn’t just about fans swarming him for selfies; Musk revealed that serious security threats following the murder of his friend, Charlie Kirk, are the main reason he’s become so reclusive.

Musk explained during an appearance on The Katie Miller Podcast that the assassination of Kirk really raised the stakes, turning routine public appearances into life-or-death situations. This is a chilling statement coming from someone who holds such a prominent public profile. The severity of the situation for high-net-worth individuals who are also major public figures has clearly been reinforced for the tech leader.

He told Katie Miller directly that “these days particularly in light of Charlie Kirk’s murder, there are serious security issues.” This context is key to understanding why Musk feels so restricted. It seems having billions of dollars doesn’t buy you basic freedom, just massive security details and constant vigilance.

Money doesn’t buy you freedom, according to one of the world’s most richest men

Musk couldn’t even recall the last time he’d been able to run a simple, routine errand. We’re talking about things like stopping at a drugstore or popping into a grocery store for supplies. He made it clear that this isn’t a choice he’s making out of preference, confirming that the reclusiveness is forced. “It’s not that I don’t want to,” he stated. “I simply can’t.” That feeling of being trapped must be incredibly frustrating for someone who is used to moving fast and changing the world.

He described the need to constantly have his guard up, fearing that the worst could happen at any moment. This is where the “hardcore mode” description comes in. Musk explained that his daily existence requires zero error tolerance and constant awareness of potential threats. He said, “Life is on ‘hardcore mode.’ Make one mistake and you’re dead.” That’s definitely not the relaxing life you imagine for the head of Tesla and SpaceX.

While the immediate security risk is the primary reason for his reclusiveness, Musk also noted that the problem of being constantly swarmed by fans looking for a quick selfie adds to the difficulty. Even if security is handling the serious threats, the sheer volume of public attention makes moving around discreetly impossible, which only compounds the overall risk.

While this sounds silly, there is a lot of truth to it. He likely cannot go outside without people recognizing him. He is also in a lot of danger, as some people hate him so much that they will burn innocent people’s cars just because he owns the company that makes them. So it’s not hard to assume he is on the kill list for some people.