Thanks for the Pink Slip, Elon!

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

This shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone who’s ever used Twitter — or engaged with hardcore Tesla fans. What’s good for the automaker is apparently also good for its employees, even if they’re among the roughly 3,000 workers laid off this week as the company seeks profitability through restructuring.

Some employees are saying it’s a good thing Tesla gave them the heave-ho.

While there’s definitely a contingent that feels differently among the unlucky 9 percent of Tesla’s workforce, the fervent belief in Tesla-as-our-saviour means many took to Twitter to thank CEO Elon Musk for the opportunity to work for him. No flaming bag of dog shit on the front porch from this crowd.

“I was laid off from Tesla yesterday and although it hurts (a lot!), it is the right thing for the company,” said Twitter user @seekevinrun in response to Musk’s layoff announcement. “I don’t regret giving all I had and in a way bidding adieu is my last contribution. I’ll be cheering Tesla on knowing I did my part. Thanks for the years of memories!”

Bloomberg identified that user as now-former Tesla sales manager Kevin Throop, who told the publication, “People need to know that we need Tesla to succeed. It’s the front lines in the fight against climate change.”

Here’s another example. Note the word “mission.”

Despite the fact that many automakers offer electric cars, many of them cheaper and easier to source than a Tesla (the base $35,000 Model 3 isn’t expected to be built in large numbers until early 2019), Tesla devotees continue to believe that only a pure, untainted automaker like Musk’s can save the world. For many fans, purity trumps practicality (and maybe even reality) when it comes to electric cars.

Perhaps it’s a shallow status thing they can’t bring themselves to admit, but a Chevrolet Bolt or Nissan Leaf (or, heaven forbid, a Hyundai Ioniq) apparently won’t suffice. It often comes down to a “why have the rest when you can have the best?” argument, as if Mother Earth cares about the ability to adjust your dash vents via a touchscreen.

This level of devotion to one automaker and one man, Gene Munster of venture capital firm Loup Ventures told Bloomberg, is unheard of.

“The people thanking Elon for the opportunity to work there are authentic. It’s unprecedented,” he said. “One of Tesla’s secret weapons is the shared vision of clean energy, as well as how much people believe in Elon Musk and his leadership. It’s a unique asset for Tesla.”

If you need more proof of Tesla’s irritating disciples, the author of the Bloomberg piece, Dana Hull, was taken to task on Twitter for using the word “fired” in relation to the 3,000 job losses. What followed was a thread where two users, both investors, argued the author didn’t know the English language and will probably end up in the hospital as a result of “karma.”

Lovely.

[Image: Tesla]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Markf Markf on Jun 14, 2018

    "...sales manager Kevin Throop, who told the publication, “People need to know that we need Tesla to succeed. It’s the front lines in the fight against climate change.” Cult indeed. Seems Kevin belongs to 2 cults....

    • See 1 previous
    • Markf Markf on Jun 14, 2018

      @golden2husky Science>Politics The "settled" science that in the 70's warned of the coming Ice Age, switched to Global Warming 15 years later. Then no warming occurred so switched to that catch all "Climate Change" So now if ANYTHING in the weather changes it's "Climate Change" Funny how Global Warming has been erased, you might excommunicated from the cult

  • Inside Looking Out Inside Looking Out on Jun 14, 2018

    I do not understand all that sarcasm - it is like bunch of losers talking. First it is highly unprofessional to bad mouth your previous employer just because you position was terminated during restructuring. It was business decision nothing personal. I would thank Elon too (or whoever was the hiring manager) for giving me that great opportunity to be the part of history in making and even paying me compensation for that! Having Tesla's name in resume is the greatest asset you can ever dream of as engineer. It will open all doors for you. Being Tesla alumni is like, for lawyer, graduating from one of the top elite schools in USA. I do not think though that most of you not being from Silicon Valley are able to grasp that.

    • See 1 previous
    • Jkross22 Jkross22 on Jun 15, 2018

      "Having Tesla’s name in resume is the greatest asset you can ever dream of as engineer. " Except maybe the engineers in quality control. Or the engineer team responsible for the door handle failures. As with engineers from any auto company, the hiring company has to do its homework. Sure, you might be hiring the GM engineer that developed Volt battery integration... or you might be hiring the one that designed ignition switch integration.

  • FreedMike Off topic, but folks, this site is not working well for me from a technical standpoint, and it doesn't matter if I'm using my phone, or my computer (on two different browsers). It locks up and makes it impossible to type anything in after a certain point. Anyone else having these issues?
  • Syke Kinda liked the '57, hated the '58. Then again, I hated the entire '58 GM line except for the Chevrolet. Which I liked better than the '57's. Still remember dad's '58 Impala hardtop, in the silver blue that was used as the main advertising color.
  • Dartdude The bottom line is that in the new America coming the elites don't want you and me to own cars. They are going to make building cars so expensive that the will only be for the very rich and connected. You will eat bugs and ride the bus and live in a 500sq-ft. apartment and like it. HUD wants to quit giving federal for any development for single family homes and don't be surprised that FHA aren't going to give loans for single family homes in the very near future.
  • Ravenuer The rear view of the Eldo coupe makes it look fat!
  • FreedMike This is before Cadillac styling went full scale nutty...and not particularly attractive, in my opinion.
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