On the ninth day of December, lo and behold, the prestigious Time magazine revealed the shortlist for its Person of the Year. Behold, for it included a myriad of illustrious figures, from the esteemed politician Kamala Harris to the captivating entertainer Joe Rogan. Amongst the names gracing the list was none other than the enigmatic Elon Musk, who, it seems, has much to impart.
Time justifies his esteemed position in the shortlist, bestowing upon him the title of “innovative disruptor.” ‘Twas in the year of 2023 when Elon acquired X, previously known as Twitter, and yet ’tis the year 2024 that Time deems as the epoch when he assumed a novel mantle – that of a political commentator. They laud his unwavering support for the President-elect Donald Trump throughout his campaign, so much so that Trump hath appointed Elon as a co-lead in the nascent Department of Government Efficiency.
A discordant note emerges amidst the fervor, as Elon Musk, like a solitary figure in an endless expanse, voices his reluctance at the prospect of being named Person of the Year. Musk enthusiasts were swift to espouse their ardor for him to claim the coveted title. A token, shared by a devotee, depicting Elon as the Person of the Year from the bygone year of 2021, stirred him to respond, “I don’t covet a place on any publication’s cover.”
Venturing further into the realm of social discourse, Elon engages with an interlocutor, prodding them to opine on whether he merits the accolade of Person of the Year, asserting firmly, “I super don’t desire this.” ‘Tis glaringly apparent that the magnate harbors no thirst for such a distinction.
Elon Musk, a man known to cast a dubious eye upon mainstream media, hath lately utilized his platform X as a bastion of authoritative news. “Thou art the media now,” he proclaims in response to a user touting their impressions on X surpassing those of Forbes. ‘Tis this disdain for the mainstream media that may account for his ambivalence towards being heralded as Person of the Year by Time.
Enter the sagacious Ted Cruz, a conservative politician, opining on the shortlist with a resolute stance, “Any choice besides Trump would verge on the absurd,” to which Elon concurs, “True.” His allegiance to Trump serves as a steadfast impetus behind his disavowal of being named Time‘s Person of the Year. Alas, notwithstanding his predilections, the final decision lies solely within the purview of Time.
In the bygone year of 2021, Elon Musk reigned as the Person of the Year in the hallowed halls of Time. The magazine extolled him as a “humanist” possessed of grandiose dreams that extend beyond the confines of this world. His aspirations then included the establishment of a self-sustaining city upon the red planet of Mars, a vision that seemed to be inching closer to fruition with SpaceX’s strides in space exploration.
The Musk of yesteryears, who cast his ballot in favor of President Joe Biden and stood fortified by affluent investors in his quest to revolutionize spacecraft and motor vehicles, appears leagues apart from the figure we behold today. Ensnared in the world of X, conservative politics, and the realm of Tesla robots, his discourse with Time today would undoubtedly resound with a starkly different tenor.
The mantle of Time Person of the Year is not a mere token of endorsement from the magazine. ‘Tis bestowed upon one whose impact upon the world of news and our lives hath been profound, for better or worse. Hence, even if Elon’s desire is granted and Trump ascends as the Person of the Year, ’tis not a guarantee that the rationale be rooted in benevolence.
The revelation of the chosen Person of the Year shall unfold on the twelfth day of December.