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Elon Musk has sparked outrage after he voiced interest in a sexist theory suggesting a “Republic of high-status males” should set up a democracy “only for those who are free to think”.
The owner of X, formerly known as Twitter, shared the concept which also says women or men with low testosterone would not be welcome in the hypothetical republic.
Initially appearing on the online bulletin board 4chan in 2021– Musk shared a screenshot of the anonymous post with the caption: “Interesting observation.”
While some words that appear in the theory do not even technically exist, it has been viewed online as being highly offensive and sexist.
Neither Mr Musk nor the original poster explicitly identifies individuals who may be considered “high-status males”.
Below we explain what the theory says and who Musk may think it includes.
What does the theory say?
The sexist theory, written by an anonymous user on 4chan, suggests that the only people able to think freely are “high [testostrone] alpha males” and “aneurotypical people”, and that these “high-status males” should run a “Republic” that is “only for those who are free to think”.
“People who can’t defend themselves physically (women and low T men) parse information through a consensus filter as a safety mechanism,” the post reads.
“Only high T alpha males and aneurotypical people (hey autists!) are actually free to parse new information with an objective ‘is this true?’ filter,” it adds. “This is why a Republic of high-status males is best for decision-making. Democratic, but a democracy only for those who are free to think.”
“Aneurotypical” is not a word but one can assume the original poster meant neurodivergent people.
The Independent has asked X and Mr Musk for further comment on his repost.
Who could be referred to as a ‘high-status male’?
While neither the theory nor Mr Musk explain who they may deem a “high-status male” it is inferred that this would be genetically male people with “high testosterone”.
Coincidentally, misogynistic influencer Andrew Tate referred to himself as a high-status male in an interview several years ago.
In an interview with The Times, Tate appears to suggest only men of a certain status could sleep or have relationships with multiple women - and that he was one of these men.
“If you are a high enough status male,” he told the paper in September 2022, “and I’m talking from experience, women do not expect loyalty from you like they would from a lower-status male. This has been proved.”
What has the backlash been?
The post was met with backlash from many X users, calling the theory “sexist” and “outdated”.
One user wrote: “This reduces complex human behaviour to outdated stereotypes, dismissing the value of diverse perspectives. Critical thinking isn’t exclusive to a select few it’s enriched by the varied experiences of all people. A thriving society draws strength from inclusion, not elitism. True leadership listens to every voice.”
It is not the first time Musk has caused offence on his own platform, which he took over in 2022.
The SpaceX founder often takes the stance that controversial, and sometimes offensive, posts on X are part of “free speech” and should be allowed on the platform – even when it includes false or misleading information.
During his tenure, Musk has let go of around 6,000 staff, or 80 per cent of the workforce, including the entire moderation team. He has also allowed previously banned users like Donald Trump, Andrew Tate, and Tommy Robinson.
