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Amid the announcement by Netflix the streaming service lost 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter of 2022, South African business mogul Elon Musk was immediately ready to point a finger.
The reason, he says, is because the platform is plagued by "the woke virus."
The company also tanked in the stock market, dropping over 20%.
In response to an article about these plummets, Musk tweeted:
"The woke mind virus is making Netflix unwatchable."
The woke mind virus is making Netflix unwatchable— Elon Musk (@Elon Musk) 1650420656
Many are wondering whether the Space X founder understands the meaning of the word.
Some responded to his tweet with the definition.
"Define woke, genius."
"Since you can't, I'll let [Merriam Webster] do it for you."
Define woke, genius. \n\nSince you can't, I'll let @MerriamWebster do it for you.pic.twitter.com/T0kCh6m8tj— \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 \ud83c\udf3bThe Pro-Democracy Carrie Sweet\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 \ud83c\udf3bThe Pro-Democracy Carrie Sweet\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1650430452
You have an issue with woke?pic.twitter.com/3soCjgyJbP— Wilki (@Wilki) 1650421986
Please stop using the word \u201cwoke.\u201d\n\nWhite people in general, stop.\n\nYou are intentionally taking a word of knowledge and empowerment that carries meaning in the Black community and belittling them. \nThe word *isn\u2019t* synonymous with liberal. \n\nDoing this is racist. And intentional— ShawnM (@ShawnM) 1650456025
Others are pointing out the more obvious explanation for the fall in Netflix's numbers.
One person replied:
"Ah, definitely the woke mind virus and not the 5 other major streaming services that have popped up during the last few years."
"I'm sure Disney and HBO have nothing to do with it."
Ah, definitly the woke mind virus and not the 5 other major streaming services that have popped up during the last few years. I'm sure Disney and HBO have nothing to do with it.— JerryRigEverything (@JerryRigEverything) 1650429046
Could also be +40% price increase over 3 years, saturation from major competitors including every induvidual studio, threats to crack down on PW sharing, a shift from quality content to docuseries on every fkn crime ever committed...\n\nBut, yeah, social buzzword too, I guess.— Lepresean (@Lepresean) 1650487748
His tweet was a dog whistle to his right-wing followers who share his distaste for progressive content.
With Twitter being Twitter, many began responding some really off-color ideas, to which Musk showed full support.
One person wrote:
"Woke mind virus is the biggest threat to the civilization."
Yes— Elon Musk (@Elon Musk) 1650420976
Someone else replied:
"Not just Netflix."
"Movies in general, videogames, tv, it's all infested with current year trend woke garbage for fear offending a green haired freak next to the ban button ..."
True— Elon Musk (@Elon Musk) 1650423933
Others put on the hard brakes for the billionaire's dismissive attitude.
The fact Musk's family's fortunes—which funded his first business ventures—were made in South Africa under the racist apartheid system wasn't lost on people.
Why does Elon Musk hate woke(enlightened, empathetic) people so much. Because woke people ended apartheid rule in his home country of South Africa.— Mike A. Milton (@Mike A. Milton) 1650556878
Binging Netflix before Elon Musk buys it and deletes what the apartheid era South African considers "woke".https://www.netflix.com/title/81086133— Altavistagoogle\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6 (@Altavistagoogle\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6) 1650522633
You make it very hard to support or even defend you when you make statements like this.\n\n"Woke" is not a slur. It's the capacity for empathy.— Julian Klappenbach (@Julian Klappenbach) 1650433689
Netflix isn't the only platform Musk is trolling.
He's made the same stink about Twitter after trying to buy it outright after having purchased billions of dollars in shares in an attempt to secure a hostile takeover.
One can only imagine what Twitter would look like under his ownership.
Someone tweeted:
"I’d be off Twitter in an instant."
I\u2019d be off Twitter in an instant.— \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6Heathen for Ukraine \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6Heathen for Ukraine \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1649934520
Another person wrote:
"It will be the end of Twitter!"
"Certainly for me!"
It will be the end of Twitter! Certainly for me!— Bia Botana \u2728\ud83d\udc26\u2728 (@Bia Botana \u2728\ud83d\udc26\u2728) 1649933916
Netflix has faced backlash over their plans to crack down on account sharing.
Despite Musk's claims and nostalgia for a more whitewashed, racist and bigoted era in entertainment, there are far better explanations for recent drops in Netflix subscribers.