You know whats Not on Roids, apparently? A realistic understanding of public opinion amongst media executives. According to a recent tête-à-tête between Elon Musk and The Economist’s editor-in-chief, Zanny Minton Beddoes, the latter seems genuinely shocked that people… dislike her. And, by extension, the entire media establishment she represents.
Seriously? Bless her heart. Mr. Musk, in a display of what some might call surprising humility (given his usual brand), suggested to Ms. Beddoes that shes woefully out of touch with just how much animosity exists towards the press. He stated he’s “against having, if people are coming to a country with…” – and honestly, I stopped there. The sentence was trailing off into some convoluted philosophy about immigration, but the core point landed: Musk believes shes oblivious to widespread dislike.
Now, look, Elon isnt exactly known for being the most objective source of information himself. He’s built a career on stirring the pot and occasionally declaring himself misunderstood. But even granting him that, she doesn’t. The sheer number of people who view mainstream media with suspicion, distrust, or outright hostility is staggering. Were not talking about a few disgruntled commenters online (though there are plenty of those). This is a deep-seated cultural shift driven by perceived bias, sensationalism, and the general feeling that journalists are more interested in scoring points than reporting facts.
Ms. Beddoes’ apparent surprise isn’t just naive; its symptomatic of a bigger problem within media: an echo chamber where positive feedback loops reinforce existing beliefs about their own importance and integrity. It takes someone – even a polarizing figure like Musk – to occasionally poke that bubble with a pointy stick.
And let’s be honest, while Musk might have his detractors (and he absolutely does), the collective ire directed at institutions like The Economist is probably significantly larger. Hes a person; they are a symbol of something bigger – an often-unaccountable gatekeeper of information. So yes, Elon, you might annoy some folks. But Zanny, honey, a lot more people hate the media than you realize.
