The title of the article is attributed to the French intellectual and semiotician Roland Barr. And we must admit that we are still surprised… and unfortunately surprised by people and actions that should not surprise us…
Recently in Greece, a political issue arose. The proposal of some politicians that Elon Musk should come to Greece and take the stage in the Greek Parliament. And indeed, these politicians articulate this proposal proudly (!) demanding credit (!) for the progressive and intelligent political move (?) that they thought up…
Very quickly, let’s take a look at Elon Musk. He is the richest man in the world with a fortune of over 220 billion dollars. He is self-made, extremely intelligent, relatively young and well-off. He is active mainly but not exclusively in the USA. The specific gravity of his business activity is significantly high, not because of wealth, but because of the dynamics of his flagship businesses. He is a pioneer and commercial leader in online payments (Paypal), computing (Zip), satellite telecommunications (Starline), electric mobility (Tesla), artificial intelligence (OpenAI – Neuralink), space applications (SpaceX) and recently social media (X). He has been married twice and has twelve children. He is a first-generation immigrant to the United States, born and raised in South Africa.
Elon Musk was a supporter of the Democratic Party until about 2022. Then he became a loose supporter of Donald Trump and in 2024 his main supporter and collaborator. Today, it is considered certain that he will be appointed to the cabinet in the new US government, with a portfolio related to eliminating bureaucracy and improving the efficiency of public services.
Musk made the move to buy Twitter (renaming it “X”) and use it as a platform for free speech, firing a huge number of employees who had the exclusive job of censorship. This was widely used by the Trump camp to break the “democratic” silence and quickly and easily pass political messages.
Generally appreciating his presence, we consider Musk to be a particularly positive figure of an entrepreneur. His companies take care of corporate social responsibility, are friendly to employees and embody vision. But! But let us not forget that Elon Musk is the model of today’s capitalist and most of his vision is international. No entrepreneur of such scope can be detached from international capital and its managers. His logic, or if you prefer, his worldview, has completely escaped any kind of national definition. He states characteristically that: “no decent civilization can only consist of at least two planets”.
What differentiates the Musk of 2025 from the Musk of 2020 is the explosive publicity he gained with the acquisition of “X” and the political power he gained with his collaboration with Trump. Such a figure, namely a champion of international capitalism, a future Republican minister, some considered it a “political innovation” to invite him to speak in the Greek Parliament!
To say what? To assure the Greeks of the US’s allied dispositions? But others have told them so. To talk about democracy and peace? But others have told them so. To order economic development in Greece if the Greeks remain slaves to the interests of the US? But others have told them so.
That is, in plain Greek, some cunning Greek politicians thought:
“Why not lick some of the shine that this man has today? He is the richest and most famous man on the planet. If I relate to him, I get a little light. Of course, his speech on the podium of the Greek Parliament will have no substance or significance. But I will take a photo with him. And even if my proposal ends up in Musk’s email bin, by proposing, I become someone, for the stupid television-hungry people…”
There you go. In very few words we explained to you the essence of the invitation. It is the anguish of politicians without light to steal a little light. Of those political leaders, dedicated to “saving their fellow citizens” and showing them the path of virtue. But all roads lead to Rome… to the Rome of “bread and spectacle”…
Of course, all these wicked people are responsible for the People (Greeks) they govern. But of course, the People are also responsible for those who govern them. It is a relationship of mutual deception. A romance between wicked people and idiots with an illegitimate child, the stupid democracy.
