Elon Musk, the world's wealthiest individual, has publicly mocked singer Billie Eilish, questioning her intelligence after the acclaimed artist called for billionaires to donate their fortunes to address global crises.
A Clash Over Wealth and Responsibility
The conflict ignited when Eilish, a 23-year-old Grammy and Oscar winner, used her platform at the WSJ Magazine Innovator Awards last month to challenge the ultra-wealthy. Addressing an audience that included Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, she stated, "We're in a time right now where the world is really, really bad and really dark and people need empathy and help." She directly appealed to those with vast resources, saying, "If you're a billionaire, why are you a billionaire? And no hate, but give your money away, shorties."
Eilish, who announced a personal donation of $11.5 million from her Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour to food equity and climate justice causes, recently amplified her message. She reshared a post from the activist group My Voice, My Choice that detailed how Musk's wealth could be used. The proposal suggested his resources could end world hunger by 2030 with an annual investment of $40 billion, rebuild Gaza for $53.2 billion, and fund other massive humanitarian and environmental projects.
In her Instagram Story, Eilish's criticism became more personal, reportedly labeling Musk as "pathetic" and a "coward."
Musk's Retort and Canadian Roots
Musk, who boasts over 229 million followers on his social media platform X, did not let the comments slide. He reshared a post from a Billie Eilish fan account and added his own critique, writing, "She's not the sharpest tool in the shed."
The exchange over immense wealth comes as Musk stands on the verge of an unprecedented financial milestone. Earlier in November, Tesla shareholders voted to grant him a $1 trillion stock package if he achieves ambitious targets over the next ten years, potentially making him the world's first trillionaire. His current net worth is estimated by Forbes at $466 billion.
Amid the public debate, Musk also revisited his humble beginnings, which have a significant Canadian chapter. He recounted arriving in Montreal as a 17-year-old immigrant from South Africa with just $2,500, a bag of clothes, and a bag of books. In a widely viewed video interview, he described travelling across Canada, working odd jobs, including a six-week stint on his mother's cousin's wheat farm in Saskatchewan where he celebrated his 18th birthday. He also worked at the Lumser Mill and with a chainsaw, before attending college in Canada and eventually transferring to the University of Pennsylvania.
The Path to a Fortune
Musk built his fortune through a series of tech ventures. He co-founded Zip2, a company that provided online city guides for newspapers, and later helped create the online payment system that evolved into PayPal. After the sale of these startups, he co-founded or invested in several groundbreaking companies, including SpaceX, Tesla, Neuralink, and xAI. He also acquired the social media platform Twitter (now X) in 2022.
This public spat highlights the ongoing global conversation about wealth inequality, philanthropy, and the social responsibilities of the world's richest individuals.
