It began when Oates questioned Musk's apparent lack of joy or emotional connection in his online presence, suggesting that even the poorest users "have access to more beauty and meaning in life than the most wealthy person in the world."
After that, Musk fired back with insults, saying "eating a bag of sawdust would be vastly more enjoyable than reading the laboriously pretentious drivel of Oates" before calling her "a lazy liar and an abuser of semicolons."
While Musk defended his aesthetic tastes by citing films like Blade Runner and Aliens, Oates declined to continue the exchange, closing with a remark on the value of "empathy" and a wry acknowledgment of Musk's tolerance for public criticism.
The exchange between Oates and Musk drew millions of views, and below we've collected them all so you can read them in order. What do you think about this? Who do you believe is right? Joyce Carol Oates or Elon Musk? Let us know in the comments below.
<social>https://x.com/JoyceCarolOates/status/1987269465013428557?s=20</social>
<social>https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1987404353150590983?s=20</social>
<social>https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1987530619749036167?s=20</social>
<social>https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1987541891563622735?s=20</social>
<social>https://x.com/JoyceCarolOates/status/1987925326950003024?s=20</social>