Elon Musk wants to replay the biblical fight between David and Goliath.
In this case he is David, the underdog who takes on the huge and giant favorite Goliath played here by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
As it has for decades, this circle of economic and political elites and personalities from civil society has been meeting since January 16 in the ski resort of Davos in Switzerland. This 2023 edition is particularly eventful because it takes place in a context of multiple crises, between the war in Ukraine, global warming and the persistent Covid-19 pandemic.
"The world today is at a critical inflection point," the WEF said on its website. "The twin triggers of the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine rattled an already brittle global system. Economic growth in the world’s largest economies is stalling, while navigating headwinds from rising food and energy prices."
'Master the Future'
To reflect and discuss all these issues, the WEF welcomes 52 heads of state and government and nearly 600 CEOs, including JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and BlackRock CEO Larry Fink.
But the problem this year is that Davos is more talked about outside the walls where the Forum is held. Elon Musk, the serial and whimsical entrepreneur has taken the lead of the opponents and critics of this powerful club.
The Techno king, as he is known at Tesla (TSLA), wants to use his growing influence to bring down Davos, condemned by both left and right. He seems to have joined the ranks of the anti-globalists, on the extreme left and extreme right, who in recent years have redoubled their opposition to the forum. They consider it an assembly of elites disconnected from the reality of the world.
After having declined the invitation of the organizers, he multiplies the attacks against the WEF. He first called the Forum "boring" and then wondered if it was the ideal setting to discuss cooperation between the public and private sectors.
"I guess there’s value to having a mixed government & commercial forum of some kind," the billionaire said. "WEF does kinda give me the willies though, but I’m sure everything is fine," said on January 15.
He then ridiculed founder Klaus Schwab's call asking participants to "master the future" in the face of the challenges currently facing the world, a message delivered during his welcome speech.
"'Master the Future' doesn’t sound ominous at all," the billionaire said sarcastically. "How is WEF/Davos even a thing? Are they trying to be the boss of Earth!?" Musk lambasted on January 17.
'Unelected' Government People 'Don't Want'
These criticisms seem to be part of a well-orchestrated strategy by the billionaire to dismantle an icon. Musk has just moved up a gear. He now denounces the WEF and goes so far as to compare it to a sort of unelected and unpopular government.
"WEF is increasingly becoming an unelected world government that the people never asked for and don’t want," the tech tycoon blasted on January 18.
Aware that this charge against the WEF will resonate with his more than 126.3 million followers on the social network, he immediately organized a poll whose tendentious question should lead to a broad rejection of Davos.
"The World Economic Forum should control the world," Musk asked.
Voters have only two options: YES or NO.
More than 1.5 million Twitter users had already voted at the time of this writing. Twitter users have until January 19 to vote. The NO was well ahead with more than 86% of the votes cast.
Musk is not saying what he intends to do with the results of this poll. The SpaceX founder regularly solicits the opinion of Twitter users on important issues such as stepping down as CEO of the social network. He has often pledged to respect the results of these polls.
The WEF did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Davos has been attracting criticism for many years, but it has only increased of late. Musk may be the spokesperson who can bring about change.
Although the WEF sees itself as an important forum for addressing the acute problems facing the planet, critics question the solutions the Forum has offered.
"The World Economic Forum meeting in Davos has become largely irrelevant, little more than an exercise in self-congratulation for the world’s elites to convince themselves that they’re making a difference," blasted Patriotic Millionaires, an association of rich individuals fighting for "equal political representation, a livable minimum wage and a fair tax system."
Equally scathing criticism of the WEF comes from Greenpeace, which denounces the Forum's so-called fights for the environment.
"Europe is experiencing the warmest January days ever recorded and communities around the world are grappling with extreme weather events supercharged by the climate crisis," said Klara Maria Schenk, transport campaigner for Greenpeace’s European mobility campaign. "Meanwhile, the rich and powerful flock to Davos in ultra-polluting, socially inequitable private jets to discuss climate and inequality behind closed doors."
"Davos has a perfectly adequate railway station, still these people can’t even be bothered to take the train for a trip as short as 21 km. Do we really believe that these are the people to solve the problems the world faces?”
