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According to a recent article in The Guardian, Tesla owner Mike Schwede recalls the days when he was the proud owner of his Tesla during its early years when people on the highway would wave and give him a thumbs-up to show their approval of his Tesla car ownership decision.
Today, however, Tesla owners are reporting being heckled and handed the one-finger salute.
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This is an interesting but not unusual conundrum when a person and object are synonymous and either begin to drift away from a shared specific ethos. And the supporter's allegiances change.
Back in the early days of Tesla, there was fervor based on the idea that electric vehicles were the answer to the World's problems: greenhouse gas emissions, dependency on foreign fossil fuels, dissatisfaction with traditional automotive visions, and NASA.
Elon Musk appeared to be the new Messiah who would deliver the World from these evils. And spend…I mean, "send"...us to Mars.
The public bought into Tesla and made it what it is today.
But Elon changed, and now Tesla owners view him as a false prophet…and much worse.
The final straw came when Musk made back-to-back fascist-style salutes during Trump's inauguration in January. "I felt nothing but utter disgust," said Schwede. And I no longer enjoyed sitting in my Tesla.
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Tesla Anger Management
In a recent informative article, Torque News writer John Goreham intelligently discusses such sentiments as "virtue signaling" that is shared by both Pro-Elon and Anti-Elon adherents depending on the situation.
The irony was not lost on me.
He writes, "Virtue signaling is the popular modern habit of indicating that one has virtue merely by expressing disgust or favor for certain political ideas or cultural happenings."
In short, Elon did it when he greenwashed his early messages to gain support, and now disenchanted Tesla fans are doing the same with anti-Elon bumper stickers on their Tesla models.
However, one former Musk fan took virtue signaling a step further as both a moral and political act of attrition to undo some of the guilt he feels over owing a Tesla today.
What is an act of attrition? Metaphorically, an "act of attrition" is a strategy of slowly depleting an opponent's resources or resolve by persistent, sustained action.
But in this former Musk fan's case, he takes a novel (and more peaceful) approach by turning something bad, into doing something good, by giving to others.
According to the earlier mentioned "The Guardian" news article, Mr. Schwede is keeping his Tesla for now but "…is donating 10 cents for every kilometre driven to a range of charities, countering Musk's support of the far right."
In other words, retaliation to Musk's political views that are gaining momentum as distastefully harmful to others as a way to distance himself (as a Tesla owner) from Elon.
It was something Elon wouldn't like; That's my personal revenge.
And he is not alone.
Musk's political involvement in European affairs has opened old wounds and threatens to seriously disrupt not only a hard-earned peace by German citizens but threatens to repeat history with inflammatory rhetoric and signaling that started much of Europe's troubles pre-World War 2.
And Europeans are reminded of this as The Guardian reports:
"For Germany's Patrik Schneider, the turning point came as he was heckled by a stranger at a petrol station, who pointed to his Tesla and called him a Trump supporter. Saddled with a long-term lease on the vehicle, he scrambled to find a way to address his relationship with a brand that―in his mind―had soured."
Of course, as a Tesla driver you were always the fool: the Green party voter, the world saviour, the CO2 guy," Schneider told Germany's Capital.de media. But now you're in a category that's no longer funny.
Separating the Man from the Machine
What are we to make of this? Can Tesla owners keep the stink off of their cars? Should we separate the man from the machine and let bygones be bygones with Tesla owners?
Personally, I like to think so. And I believe Mr. Schwede's giving something back to charities as his protest is admirable.
Tell us your thoughts in the comment section below: Do you feel any collateral guilt today as a Tesla owner? Is donating money to help a cause or organization a political party threatens to abolish, a good way to resolve any conflicts of moral interest you may feel between owning a Tesla and appearing to support Musk politics? We would like to hear your views on this topic.
Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati who currently researches and works on restoring older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. He also reports on modern cars (including EVs) with a focus on DIY mechanics, buying and using tools, and other related topical automotive repair news. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites as well as on Facebook and his automotive blog "Zen and the Art of DIY Car Repair" for useful daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.
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