Expert: Musk Dangerously Close to Literally Ruling the World

So, Elon Musk appears permanently attached to incoming President Donald Trump’s right side and the obvious takeaway is that Musk seeks to both curry the favors freeing him up to make that much more money while also tanning that ego in the bright presidential sunlight – simply taking it all in as the new “that guy.” And sure, that’s all true and that’s plenty right there. Except it isn’t actually “plenty” when one thinks about where the world stands right now, particularly the interface between billionaires from the top technical business-elite and governments. Given the new Net-Space-AI-Neuro paradigm, the stakes for any one business or billionaire can be – if wanted – raised higher than any one nation, including the United States. Musk has his eyes on a much bigger prize, he wants to rule the world according to political commentator  Elad Nehorai, and – well, me. 

I recently wrote about Mark Cuban’s explanation as to why billionaires are fighting to gain access to Trump – that they want an advantage in developing Artificial Intelligence, the next big thing, the next “only” thing, and Nehoria’s observations fit squarely into Cuban’s point. But there is even more going on, at least with respect to the implications of controlling AI. Sun Tzu would explain that control of anything depends on controlling the high ground and it’s no different here. Musk is fighting to be the gateway and gatekeeper to “space” and all that now goes with it – which is nothing less than your ability to order pizza, find your way home, or move $10 billion across banks, safely, in an instant.

Were that not scary enough, well – hang on. Let’s demonstrate just how much power Musk wields already and the obvious implications. According to Raw Story, Musk just made a move that may justify every dollar and hour he has spent in politics so far. He opened Tesla’s door to China:

Americans saw Musk flex his new political power last month, when he effectively killed a bipartisan government funding agreement by posting a litany of false claims about the bill – which would have made it harder for Tesla to expand into China, and the bill that eventually passed no longer had those restrictions on U.S. companies investing in China.

With Musk, there is the temptation to think mostly about rockets or “X” but – for now – his money comes from Tesla, so much so that it’s almost at the exclusion of all of his other investments. So consider a free-hand in dealing with China and all those buses and cabs, etc. in downtown Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Beijing. Consider whether China might sign an exclusive deal with Musk in order to influence Trump. It is possible. Why not? Regardless, aggressively moving Tesla into China is one of the few ways that Musk can ensure that he triples his wealth in the next five years. So there it is. Nice work, great campaign – done.

But that’s just money. One can only eat so well and there comes a time when the focus on money shifts into one that is based solely on raw power . No, it is never just a means to “keep score.” This time, however, that “power” is situated such that it extends beyond American borders, beyond even the Earth itself:

“His desire to go to space and inhabit Mars is not just a dream: He is building the infrastructure to make it happen. The same can be said about Musk’s ambitions in America. He wants to be more powerful than the president. Which would make him an unelected, technocratic dictator: a figure who wields immense authority without the accountability of democratic oversight.”

Okay, other than shareholder value, there is no accountability – forget that quaint notion. Which is nice, since very few are going to like Musk’s aspirations, at least to the extent that they intrude on government support for the poor and other programs that don’t just keep society stable (though they do, and don’t throw that thought away, more in a moment), but get in the way of some of Musk’s goals. Dictators thrive in a world where the poor are largely fighting among themselves because it’s the only fight to be had, control is that absolute.

Again, given the unique global implications of the most modern of modern technology – AI, space, neurolink, net – it is no longer enough to just control American policy and interests. No, one can think bigger, and thus one must – at least if the goal is continued growth and mushrooming power. Who cares if one controls the American space program when your jackass competitor can do it cheaper through the E.U., China, or Virgin Atlantic? Who cares if you control American development of AI when it is all going to be made in China and tested in Brazil? These business needs are uniquely global and thus so is Musk:

“From his actions in Britain to his influence in Germany, Musk is building a framework for domination, using corporate power as his tool to control governments and reshape nations in his image. His goal is not just to dominate America, but to install himself as the unelected ruler of a new global order, wielding authority unchecked by elections or oversight. And so far, he is succeeding.”

This site is gloriously devoted to wonderful liberal-progressive values that we all hold dear and shouldn’t ever let go. But we must also stay observant and honest enough to acknowledge that the world is teetering dangerously toward right-wing dictatorships in a post-democratic paradigm shift that may or may not be controllable. Additionally, it might not even matter as much as we’d hope. Governments are seemingly less and less important, corporate protectionism is now absolute. As I’ve often written – Musk is now a nation unto himself, and he damn sure isn’t the only one, just the one in the lead. He wants to stay there.

Thing is, when one climbs these mountains, one is never at the top. No, you never stop climbing because there are about ten others behind waiting for you to catch your breath. (To follow the metaphor along, yes – you do unclip the guy coming up the rock face, it’s just business after all.) So it really isn’t enough for Musk to extend his control through the American regulatory state.

Unlike the robber barons, or even Standard Oil and Rockefellers primacy, whoever controls AI and space almost necessarily controls the world because everything – literally – is going to fall under the two. The net is the net – think of the net as electricity, it is everywhere and nowhere – you barely even think about it. But it is what one can now do with AI (on the net) that is “special” – think “everything” from the next breakthrough drug, to the next robot design… But control of the net means nothing unless you control space, which is how everyone gets their net now. Enter Musk, whose Spacelink is quickly moving to become “the” way everyone gets access. Scared yet?

Right.

To make it even worse, which – we don’t need, but now think about how all of this might tie into Neurolink, Musk’s other “fun” endeavor. Neurolink is another seemingly miraculous product within a promising industry that might help paraplegic’s walk… Or allow me to craft and edit this column hands free, with part of my brain accessing other sites to fact-check. Think of Neurolink as your phone, without – well, the damned phone. No one is really sure what happens when there is a true brain-computer interface, only that it will happen and someone will control it. There is no need to warn you about the implications of your brain being “on the net” – one that uses an AI enhancement and is shared with the world by way of space.

So there it is. With all this sh*t it is no longer enough to control American regulatory policy, think bigger. Musk most certainly is. No, no, no – Musk doesn’t care how we go about healthcare in this country, SNAP, reproductive healthcare, none of it (He will pretend to). What Musk wants is for everyone to stay the duck out of his way and then buy his stuff. That means environmental regulations, banking limitations, international trade, all that – which is plenty enough. He wants enough power such that Germany doesn’t sigh and suddenly stand up for all that is right and enlightened. He wants Germans in fear of being left behind – ergo, tacit control of Germany, too. That and India, Brazil, Russia, etc. Global dominance.

Gosh, it is so straightforward that you almost want to slap your head, or Musk’s. Of course, that is the danger, too. If he or anyone else reaches just a bit too far beyond his grasp, with a “let them eat cake” attitude, he could end up losing said head. But that’s always a risk at this level and is priced in. There is also the fear that if the world falls too deep into control and poverty, the economy may not be stable such that enough people can buy his stuff. All of these are just details to be worked out along the way. For now, he has to keep climbing, and will. And he will be hauling those aspirations, that need, for global dominance along with him. Don’t sigh and wave a hand. Nothing has stopped Musk yet, and – in a sense, he’s just begun. And look what happened.

But do have a nice day.

God Bless: I can be reached at [email protected] and on X @JasonMiciak, and now on Bluesky

Friends, the site is forced to self-promote and ask you for money. We had a bad year compared with 2023 and the end of the year has been catastrophic. Traffic died on November 5. We are a small blog and completely self-supported by ad revenue, donations, and subscriptions. If you can afford a monthly subscription that would help us out. If you can make a small donation, likewise. Our only goal is to stay in business and give you the best content we can generate. I do not want to have to put a certain number of stories behind a paywall. I want our work to be available to all. Help if you can. And thank you once again to those who subscribe and donate regularly. You are the wind beneath our wings. Thank you. Ursula

Support the site with a subscription today and see no more ads!

Go Ad-free Now!