Elon Musk pointed men towards Homer’s The Iliad for ‘maximum Alpha’ and it was a self-own for the ages – 13 classic comebacks
You may well have seen an author’s devastating takedown of Elon Musk which went wildly viral after she suggested – despite all his billions – that he was basically a cultural desert all but blind to the beauty and meaning of life.
So curious that such a wealthy man never posts anything that indicates that he enjoys or is even aware of what virtually everyone appreciates— scenes from nature, pet dog or cat, praise for a movie, music, a book (but doubt that he reads); pride in a friend’s or relative’s… https://t.co/xMxQGSVqEt
— Joyce Carol Oates (@JoyceCarolOates) November 8, 2025
But never let it be said that Musk doesn’t know culture when he sees it. The classics, no less, after he suggested to one particular follower that he read Homer’s The Iliad. Big brain stuff, Elon!
Except pretty much everything he said about it suggested the opposite.
Can’t recommend The Iliad enough!
Best as Penguin audiobook at 1.25 speed. https://t.co/gh7VEytlRe
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 24, 2024
‘Best enjoyed at 1.25 speed?’ And also – that’s not The Iliad.
For maximum alpha, complete with fighting for princesses, the Iliad.
Penguin audiobook at 1.25X speed is best. It was meant to be a spoken, not written, story. https://t.co/gh7VEytlRe
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 24, 2024
And – quite apart from everything else – that’s still not The Iliad.
And these people surely said it best.
1.
Most elon shit ever to say this and then link the wrong book https://t.co/BaptBSAb9O
— cam (@vordhosbn___) November 10, 2025
2.
> mentions homer in response to 19th-early 20th cent. books
> thinks the iliad is about “fighting for princesses”
> listens to it on 1.25x speed, in the name of historical accuracy
> links the wrong bookoh my god bruh
— ŠUND ✭ (@schundkomisija) November 10, 2025
3.
Sometimes you just have to stop and appreciate how richest man on earth is a lolcow https://t.co/1y5Eav1ZUY
— jessi (@jejesjesijessi) November 10, 2025
4.
its crazy how he fucked up every part of this. doesn’t fulfill the prompt date, misuses “alpha,” my life is like a video game, 1.25x speed, illiterate oral tradition cope, wrong link https://t.co/V6o3lRd2qA
— caleb gamman (@calebgamman) November 10, 2025
5.
I think the most egregious part is that he thinks listening to george guidall or whichever hoary yakubian beast penguin hired to read the translation while he plays diablo with cheetodusty fingers is 1:1 equivalent with hearing a rhapsode sing-chant the poem from memory, that a…
— donald boat (@laserboat999) November 10, 2025
6.
Society no longer allows ordinary people to be this cringe. Only in a trillionaire containment zone staffed by yes-men can it metastasize to this point. https://t.co/yDQnYsYsO0
— Natalie Wynn (@ContraPoints) November 11, 2025