Another day and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has again found himself in a fresh online banter. This time with celebrated American author Joyce Carol Oates, after she called the X CEO uneducated and uncultured. And as usual, Musk who is known for not ignoring any provocation, has hit back, accusing the 87-year-old writer of lying and “delighting in being mean.”
The comment from Oates came in response to an ongoing thread on X discussing Musk’s recent posts and public image. In her post, the award-winning novelist questioned why the world’s richest man rarely shares moments that reflect common human interests or joys, referencing pets, family, nature, art, books, and everyday beauty. Oates suggested that despite his status, Musk appears disconnected from the cultural and emotional experiences that many people value. “In fact he seems totally uneducated, uncultured,” she wrote, adding that even the poorest users on the platform “may have access to more beauty & meaning in life than the ‘most wealthy person in the world.”
Her comments built on a wider conversation already happening on the platform, where netizens were discussing Musk’s digital behaviour, particularly after he posted AI-generated videos created using xAI’s Grok Imagine tool. In one video that he posted, an AI-generated woman declares, “I will always love you,” followed by another featuring a computer-generated version of actress Sydney Sweeney saying, “You are so cringe.” The posts quickly drew reactions ranging from bemusement to concern, with some users describing them as oddly melancholy or reflective of loneliness.
“This is kind of sad, Elon,” one user replied.
“Very heartbreaking, Elon. Sorry that you have been reduced to this. Maybe one day you will be reunited with one of your human families,” another user posted.
“This has to stop. It’s not healthy. It’s sad,” another user replied.
Oates, meanwhile, called Musk, and framing him not as eccentric or playful, but as intellectually and emotionally lacking despite extraordinary wealth. Her remarks also touched on a broader issue of how technology titans, who despite their riches, are often considered outsiders in the world of arts and culture. After all, Silicon Valley and its people often face criticism that unlike the rich people earlier they don’t patronise art or any sort of recreation. Instead, they all harp on tech and business with a single-minded focus.
Meanwhile, Musk, already well-known for his blunt and sometimes combative replies, didn’t hold back. Quoting Oates’ post, he wrote “Oates is a liar and delights in being mean. Not a good human.”
Supporters of Oates argued that her observations were rooted in cultural critique, pointing to Musk’s sporadic and often meme-driven posting style as evidence of a hollow digital persona. Musk supporters, however, suggested the novelist was projecting elitist expectations and dismissing someone who has built companies advancing technology in electric vehicles, space exploration, and artificial intelligence.
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Published By:
Divya Bhati
Published On:
Nov 10, 2025
