Social media spats between celebrities have become routine. However, when Billie Eilish spoke out against Elon Musk, it sparked a broader conversation about wealth inequality.
While many celebrities try their best to stay out of the political spotlight, Eilish has not been so timid in making her voice heard. Eilish made headlines when she reposted an Instagram post from My Voice, My Choice that outlined all of the things Musk’s wealth could be used for.
Eilish v. Musk online feud
The post begins with a photo of Musk and text reading, “Elon Musk became the world’s first trillionaire. Here’s what he could do with it.” The following slides outlined five different causes that Musk could invest in, including ending world hunger, saving endangered species, and reducing maternal mortality.
This message must have resonated heavily with Eilish, because she reposted this to her Instagram story, calling Musk a “f*cking pathetic p*ssy b*tch coward.” Musk responded via his X platform with an overused cliche, saying, “She’s not the sharpest tool in the shed.” Apparently, a trillion dollars can’t buy you a good comeback.
While the feud seemingly ended there, it brought up a discussion about wealth. Some argue that wealthy individuals like Musk should be able to use their wealth in whatever way they want, because they earned it. Others argue that such large amounts of money should be more evenly distributed to allow everyone a better quality of life.
Billie Eilish’s activism
Eilish seems to agree with the latter point of the debate. In fact, this isn’t her first time speaking out about this. Last month, Eilish made comments regarding the ethicality of billionaires during an award speech.
While accepting the Music Innovator Award at the WSJ Magazine Innovator Awards, Eilish called out the ultra-wealthy, saying, “If you’re a billionaire, why are you a billionaire? No hate, but yeah, give your money away, shorties.”
Eilish also isn’t afraid to lead by example. In this same award show, she announced that she would be donating $11.5 million of her “Hit Me Hard and Soft” tour earnings. With box office revenue of her tour estimated at $46.5 million, this means she would be donating a quarter of that money. Eilish committed to donating to organizations promoting food equity and combating the climate crisis.
Elon Musk’s charitability
Musk has also proven himself to be charitable, but in many different ways. Musk has reportedly donated billions of dollars’ worth of Tesla stock to charity. The charity in question: The Musk Foundation. That’s right, most of Musk’s charitable donations have gone to his own organization.
However, Musk’s donations don’t just stop there. Last year, he donated around a quarter of a billion dollars to Trump and other republican campaigns. While Eilish donated her wealth to humanitarian causes, it seems that Musk’s charity is primarily self-serving. As Eilish works to end world hunger, Musk works to buy out politicians and fund his own organizations.
‘No ethical billionaires‘
The argument about wealth inequality is not new. A decade ago, Bernie Sanders launched his presidential campaign on this exact sentiment. Sanders’ campaign saw significant success, nearly winning him the Democratic nomination for president in 2016. Despite narrowly losing the nomination to Hillary Clinton, Sanders’ message has been withstanding: there are no ethical billionaires.
The idea that there are ‘no ethical billionaires’ assumes that those with exorbitant amounts of wealth obtained their wealth through unethical means. This can range from actual illegal activity to simply underpaying employees. With millions of Americans struggling financially, this movement has only gained momentum.
Just this year, the movement saw significant gains by electing Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York City. Part of Mamdani’s campaign was his promise to tax the ultra-wealthy to help improve the city. It is clear that this message is resonating, especially with younger people like Eilish and her fans.
Who won the feud?
Eilish’s statements toward Musk and other billionaires put her firmly on the side of figures like Sanders and Mamdani. Her efforts to use her own wealth for the betterment of others highlight her desire to use her wealth for good. The popularity of this message is growing exponentially, especially among younger activists.
On the other hand, Musk represents the hoarding of wealth that directly opposes these beliefs. Supporters of Musk believe that those with wealth have rightfully earned it and should be free to do whatever they want with it. However, this argument is misguided because it only serves to help the ultra-wealthy. With about 99.5% of Americans making less than $1 million a year, this sentiment does little to benefit most people.
While a social media feud between a singer and a businessman may seem inconsequential, it actually highlights the growing political issues in the United States. The Eilish and Musk beef underscores the growing resentment regarding wealth inequality throughout the country.
