Filmmaker Olivia Wilde has voiced strong criticism of entrepreneur Elon Musk, describing him as a "creature" and expressing resentment over ideas he has promoted. Wilde shared her views during a recent appearance on The Louis Theroux Podcast, recalling a visit to a SpaceX facility years ago when Musk was interested in donating to a charitable organization she was involved with in Haiti.
"I really resent him now - I really deeply resent him," Wilde stated, recounting her initial impressions of Musk. She noted that at the time of her visit, SpaceX had recently established its Los Angeles headquarters, and she was given a tour. She added that Musk "did seem really smart" and that she appreciated his consideration of a donation.
However, Wilde expressed confusion about Musk's subsequent trajectory, saying, "I would never have predicted he would go down the path he has gone down." A significant point of contention for Wilde is what she perceives as Musk's endorsement of "incel culture values" and the idea that humanity can overcome natural limitations.
Wilde specifically referenced Musk's past statements suggesting the world is underpopulated and could accommodate a larger human population. In 2022, Musk stated, "A lot of people are under the impression that the current number of humans is unsustainable on the planet. That is totally untrue. The population density is actually quite low."
This aligns with sentiments Wilde has previously expressed concerning what she defines as incel culture, which she described in 2022 as a belief system held by "disenfranchised, mostly white men, who believe they are entitled to sex from women." According to Wilde, adherents of this ideology feel that feminism is working against nature and that society should revert to a previous order.
Wilde drew a connection between figures like Musk and author Jordan Peterson, whom she previously labeled a "pseudo-intellectual hero to the incel community." While she later characterized her remarks about Peterson as potentially "unfair," she elaborated that while Peterson "obviously thinks about things deeply," his ideas represent a more "buttoned-up version" of philosophies that influence figures like Andrew Tate. She believes a "sanitized version" of these philosophies, rooted in misogyny, is adopted by many men who are not explicitly misogynistic but are drawn to the core message of entitlement to power.
Wilde contended that this sense of entitlement is a struggle for "many men" and has significant political and societal consequences. She stated, "I was disturbed by what I saw as this misogyny that was being weaponized and leading us to elect Donald Trump twice, and beyond that just empower these groups of people who I think are dangerous."
Reacting to Wilde's earlier comments about him, Peterson had described feeling moved to tears by her remarks in a 2022 interview with Piers Morgan, suggesting a "lack of an encouraging word" for many people. Wilde found this notion "absurd," arguing that there is already a "large, booming world of encouragement" for men, telling them "This world is yours and you are entitled to it." She asserted that the idea that these men require additional encouragement is "ludicrous."