Elon Musk and the Playbook of Power

It’s 2 a.m. My three year old just woke up crying for the fourth time tonight, my one year old needs a diaper change, and my teenager has a school project due tomorrow that we haven’t finished. Meanwhile, I have to be up for my underpaying 9-to-5 job in a few hours, where I juggle responsibilities that barely scratch the surface of my ambitions. Yet here I am, wide awake, thinking about Elon Musk.

I’m not a tech insider or an economic analyst. I’m just an exhausted mother of three who reads too much and has late-night thoughts about power, money, and how the world seems to bend for people like Musk. The way he moves through industries—unbothered by regulations, unquestioned by those who admire him—reminds me of historical figures who built empires not through innovation alone, but through sheer control.

Centralization of Control

A hallmark of authoritarian rule is consolidating power, often by dismantling opposition, controlling key industries, and establishing a system of unchecked authority. Musk’s acquisition of Twitter (now X) in 2022 felt eerily familiar. He fired key executives and disbanded the Trust and Safety Council, a group that had worked to mitigate hate speech and online abuse. It reminded me of historical leaders who, upon seizing power, purged opposition to reshape institutions in their own image.

Beyond social media, Musk’s empire stretches across Tesla (electric vehicles), SpaceX (aerospace), Neuralink (neurotechnology), and The Boring Company (infrastructure). His monopolistic hold in multiple industries mirrors historical regimes where power was concentrated in a single entity, eliminating competition and alternative choices.

Silencing Criticism

Dictatorships suppress criticism by controlling the press. Musk’s actions post-Twitter acquisition run a similar playbook. He suspended journalists from The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CNN after they reported on his actions, claiming they were ‘doxxing’ him. This wasn’t about privacy—it was about control.

In early 2023, he limited free access to Twitter’s API, cutting off independent researchers tracking misinformation and online extremism. Throughout history, those in power have manipulated public perception by controlling the flow of information. Musk may not be running a country, but the digital spaces he controls shape public discourse in ways that should concern us.

The Cult of Personality

Authoritarian leaders build mythologies around themselves—larger than life personas that make them seem indispensable. Musk has done the same. His fans view him as the only person capable of leading humanity into the future, dismissing any criticism as an attack on progress. The way he interacts with his followers on X, directly influencing public opinion and rewarding loyalty, is a modern version of the propaganda machines of the past.

His decision to remove verification badges from legacy accounts and introduce paid verification altered the platform’s information ecosystem. Those who could afford it, or aligned with Musk’s viewpoints, gained prominence, while others lost credibility and reach. This wasn’t just a business decision—it was about shaping the narrative.

Using Wealth as Leverage

Authoritarian regimes use economic power to dictate policies. Musk does the same. In 2023, he admitted to denying Ukraine access to Starlink for military operations, effectively controlling the course of an international conflict. The fact that a single businessman had the authority to make such a decision is terrifying.

His relationship with China further complicates things. Tesla’s operations there depend on the goodwill of a government notorious for suppressing dissent. While Musk frequently criticizes U.S. regulatory agencies, he remains silent on China’s human rights abuses. It’s a strategic alignment with power, not ethics.

Why This Matters to Me

I’m not writing this because I think I have all the answers. I’m writing this because I’m tired—not just physically, but emotionally, intellectually. Because I see people like Musk accumulate power unchecked, while the rest of us struggle to afford groceries and daycare. Because I wonder what it means for my kids’ future when the people who shape our world answer to no one.

Musk is not a dictator, but his unchecked control across multiple industries echoes authoritarian playbooks. And history has taught us what happens when power is left unchecked. I don’t know what the solution is, but I know this: We need to pay attention. Even at 2 a.m., even when we’re exhausted, even when it feels like nothing we say or do makes a difference.

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This is not expert analysis, FAR from it. This is a tired mom’s late night thoughts, watching power accumulate in the hands of a few while the rest of us struggle to keep up. If nothing else, I just needed to say it out loud.