BRIEF: Tesla in tears
Big thought, small step, deep breath — for March 31, 2025
BIG THOUGHT
The power of boycotts
Elon Musk’s feelings are hurt. His companies are suffering.
Weird, coming from the guy who denounced empathy as Western civilization’s “fundamental weakness.” While a little needling by Tim Walz about Tesla’s plummeting share price may have set him off, the real pain point is the #teslatakedown movement, which this past Saturday put on a worldwide day of action.
Folks on the right like to complain about boycotts. They’ve called them illegal. They’ve tried to intimidate those who’d dare use their economic power. They’ve threatened to criminalize the very idea. They’ve commingled peaceful calls for investors and shoppers to withhold their hard-earned dollars with acts of vandalism, and have tried to paint the entire movement as terrorism. But, as you might expect, accusations are confessions: what far-right political figures mean when they denounce boycotts is that they want to decide who gets boycotted.
So what is it that scares the guy who wants to privatize everything? Members of the public, exercising their private power to decide, and doing it collectively (Musk famously hates that whole collective thing). Because when that power is clearly targeted and well organized, it gets results. Maybe it’s the sheer gumption of speaking truth to power in its native language — money — that pains Musk. But that’s the free market, isn’t it?
SMALL STEP
Free your mind
Last year, writer and weight-training guru Casey Johnston decided she’d had enough of living at the mercy of push notifications and platform surveillance, so she did something about it. But rather than throw away her devices or delete her accounts, she came up with a realistic plan to safeguard her attention by eliminating the apps and services competing for her bandwidth so she could focus on what matters: real life. Want to take back your time? She’s set it all out in an easy-to-follow guide to dumbing down your smartphone. (And stick around for the fitness tips.)
DEEP BREATH
Making it up on the spot
Musical polymath Jacob Collier has been shocking audiences with his ridiculous talents as a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist since he started posting YouTube videos as a child prodigy. Here he is making about the best possible use of the Kennedy Center, walking the National Symphony Orchestra through a large-scale group improvisation in front of a live audience. It doesn’t always quite work, but it’s a joy (due in part to Collier’s infectious enthusiasm) to watch this unlikely group as it works through a significant artistic challenge, presented warts and all. “Out of tune is where it's at!" Deeply human.
A programming note: We’re going live!
This afternoon, Monday, March 31, at 12:30 p.m. Eastern, join us for our regular conversation with scholar of authoritarianism Ruth Ben-Ghiat. Then join us on Thursday, April 3, at 12:30 p.m. Eastern, when we talk again with messaging guru and political sage Anat Shenker-Osorio. We hope to see you all there!
To join and watch, download the Substack app (click on the button below) and turn on notifications — you’ll get an alert that we’re live and you can watch from your iOS or Android mobile device. And if you haven’t already, subscribe to The Ink to access full videos of past conversations and to join the chat during our live events.
I protested in Tucson Arizona. We had almost 2,000 protesters! It was inspiring!
I attended a Tesla Takedown in St Louis County. The organizer had stated that he hoped for 25 people. A little over 100 protestors showed up and many people driving by honked, waved and gave a thumbs up. The supporters far outweighed the detractors. I've seen references to a summer of protest and I think it's beginning.