Archive · 11 Nov 2025
Joyce Carol Oates' 'Uncultured' Remark on Wealthiest Man Sparks Elon Musk Exchange
A famous writer named Joyce Carol Oates wrote on X that the richest person in the world doesn't seem to enjoy or notice the simple, beautiful things in life, like nature or books.
She thought this showed he was not very educated or cultured.
This made Elon Musk, who is the richest person, very upset.
He called her a liar and said she wasn't a good person.
Oates later said she didn't mean to name him directly but was talking about a type of person that a lot of money can create.
She also mentioned that it was surprising that Musk allowed people to criticize him on X, which she thought showed some kindness.
The whole argument started after Musk shared some funny videos made by AI.
Author Joyce Carol Oates posted on X, calling the world's wealthiest man 'uneducated' and 'uncultured' for his online content.
Elon Musk, identified as the wealthiest man, responded by calling Oates a 'liar' and 'not a good human'.
Oates later clarified her statement, saying she was speculating about an 'emblematic' type of person created by extreme wealth, not naming anyone explicitly.
The controversy was partly sparked by Musk sharing AI-generated videos using xAI's Grok Imagine tool.
Musk is reportedly set to become the world's first trillionaire after Tesla's board approved a new payout package.
- Who
- American author Joyce Carol Oates and Elon Musk
- What
- A heated exchange on X following Oates' critical comments about the online behavior of the world's wealthiest person, whom she implied was uneducated and uncultured.
- When
- The exchange occurred following Oates' post on November 10, 2025.
- Where
- On the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
- Why
- Oates posted her observations in the context of an online debate about Elon Musk's digital behavior, specifically after he shared AI-generated videos.
Joyce Carol Oates' Perspective
Elon Musk's Response
Observation of Wealthy Individual's Online Behavior
Joyce Carol Oates' Perspective
Oates observed that the world's wealthiest person never posts about enjoying common things like nature, pets, arts, or acknowledging life events, suggesting a lack of education and culture compared to poorer individuals who may find more beauty and meaning.
Elon Musk's Response
Musk accused Oates of being a liar and 'not a good human' in response to her comments.
Intent Behind the Remark
Joyce Carol Oates' Perspective
Oates clarified she didn't name anyone specifically, but was speculating about an 'emblematic' type of person great wealth can create, suggesting such wealth might seem unreal or ironic.
Elon Musk's Response
N/A (Musk's response focused on Oates' characterization rather than clarifying his own intent).
Musk's Magnanimity
Joyce Carol Oates' Perspective
Oates commented it was impressive that Musk allows critical commentary on X, suggesting this magnanimity was not typical of an 'extreme type of non-empathetic person.'
Elon Musk's Response
N/A (Musk did not directly address this point in the provided text).
- Author
- Joyce Carol Oates
- Controversy Subject
- Elon Musk
- Platform
- X (formerly Twitter)
- Musk's Net Worth (approx.)
- $461 billion (Bloomberg Billionaire Index)
- Catalyst for Debate
- Musk sharing AI-generated videos using xAI's Grok Imagine tool