• @JcbAzPx@lemmy.world
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      3816 hours ago

      I feel bad for Nikola Tesla having his name associated with all this nonsense. Not even death let him escape from rich assholes taking credit for the work of others.

        • LustyArgonian
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          1311 hours ago

          https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/nikola-tesla-the-eugenicist-eliminating-undesirables-by-2100-130299355/

          The year 2100 will see eugenics universally established. In past ages, the law governing the survival of the fittest roughly weeded out the less desirable strains. Then man’s new sense of pity began to interfere with the ruthless workings of nature. As a result, we continue to keep alive and to breed the unfit. The only method compatible with our notions of civilization and the race is to prevent the breeding of the unfit by sterilization and the deliberate guidance of the mating instinct. Several European countries and a number of states of the American Union sterilize the criminal and the insane. This is not sufficient. The trend of opinion among eugenists is that we must make marriage more difficult. Certainly no one who is not a desirable parent should be permitted to produce progeny. A century from now it will no more occur to a normal person to mate with a person eugenically unfit than to marry a habitual criminal.

          Oof, that’s a tough read.

          • @Ilovethebomb@lemm.ee
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            05 hours ago

            I have read a number of comments from people with illnesses or other issues that are genetic, saying they don’t want to pass their problems onto the next generation.

            So, bizarrely enough, there is a certain amount of eugenics happening, it’s just purely voluntary.

          • @Krudler@lemmy.world
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            514 hours ago

            Imagine disregarding the entire domain of Tesla’s work - changing the entire world as we know it with his research and innovations - and the comment they need to make for online points is some virtue-oriented pat-me-on-the-back-im-ethical blorp about random social norms of the time. lol but cry.

              • Boomer Humor Doomergod
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                11 hours ago

                He had really bad autism. He was in love with a pigeon. Brilliant he was, but mad as a hatter.

                • @melpomenesclevage@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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                  39 hours ago

                  see, I would argue that the pigeon kind of exhonnerated him for the eugenics. A race of superhuman pigeon-men, ruling over us pitiful full apes? I’d bend the knee, in my primitive forward jointed way.

              • @Krudler@lemmy.world
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                11 hours ago

                I think he was just intuitively good at seeing what exactly is the portrayal of electricity and magnetism. A unique genius with a certain insight.

                I sometimes feel that there were many businesses concerns that grew around his early research and they were so successful that his newer research must have been a threat to that.

                Through all the mystery, half-truths, and frankly magical thinking people have with this man, it’s really hard to know what he was up to in his final days of work, before he became a homeless bag-man. I somehow feel, without making any kind of declarative statement, that he was working on transmission of energy with longitudinal (vs transverse) waves, and discovering methods of conveying and extracting electrical potential from and through Earth.

                Inline Edit: To expand on the above paragraph: The Earth doesn’t really “absorb” electrons like a pillow absorbing a ping pong ball. The energy in the negative charges that the Earth grounds must move in waves, therefore they’re grounded but now the waves are bouncing around in the Earth; that energy still exists and may sum with other waves in an additive way. I believe, again without making a declarative statement, that Tesla recognized this and was pioneering research on how to gather momentum from those waves.

                The word “free energy” always obliterates any form of rational discourse. But there was something to it in a way, but to clarify, not in a literal way. Not in the sense of violating fundamental laws of conservation, rather seeing the “other side of the coin” that if the Earth is effectively infinite Ground then it’s also effectively an “infinite” source of power if harvested.

                I’ve never really “researched” the man directly but what I do know comes from quite a bit of my casual STEM self-study over decades.

                • @melpomenesclevage@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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                  38 hours ago

                  socially free, from a source nobody had ever even thought of, but not literally physically free. that is pretty fucking cool. I’ll have to ask an EE about this sometime, and see how dumb they think I am.

          • LustyArgonian
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            11 hours ago

            People say that because they support it and they don’t think it’s a big deal. There were always anti-eugenicist movements (and always people opposed to fucking children, and having slaves, and even eating meat or going to war, and other morally shitty things justified with this excuse). That’s literally how the movements against these things came about - people throughout time have been against them. You just discount them because you align yourself with the other side, for some reason.

            Tesla was not mentally well. But he had the power to make weapons, including a so called “Death Beam” https://www.pbs.org/tesla/ll/ll_mispapers.html

            And look, Trump connection:

            After a three-day investigation, Trump’s report concluded that there was nothing which would constitute a hazard in unfriendly hands, stating:

            “His [Tesla’s] thoughts and efforts during at least the past 15 years were primarily of a speculative, philosophical, and somewhat promotional character often concerned with the production and wireless transmission of power; but did not include new, sound, workable principles or methods for realizing such results.[233]”

            In a box purported to contain a part of Tesla’s “death ray”, Trump found a 45-year-old multidecade resistance box.

            https://www.pbs.org/tesla/ll/ll_mispapers.html

            An operation code-named “Project Nick” was heavily funded and placed under the command of Brigadier General L. C. Craigie to test the feasibility of Tesla’s concept. Details of the experiments were never published, and the project was apparently discontinued. But something peculiar happened. The copies of Tesla’s papers disappeared and nobody knows what happened to them.

            The morning after the inventor’s death, his nephew Sava Kosanovic´ hurried to his uncle’s room at the Hotel New Yorker. He was an up-and-coming Yugoslav official with suspected connections to the communist party in his country. By the time he arrived, Tesla’s body had already been removed, and Kosanovic´ suspected that someone had already gone through his uncle’s effects. Technical papers were missing as well as a black notebook he knew Tesla kept—a notebook with several hundred pages, some of which were marked “Government.”

            P. E. Foxworth, assistant director of the New York FBI office, was called in to investigate. According to Foxworth, the government was “vitally interested” in preserving Tesla’s papers. Two days after Tesla’s death, representatives of the Office of Alien Property went to his room at the New Yorker Hotel and seized all his possessions.

            Dr. John G. Trump, an electrical engineer with the National Defense Research Committee of the Office of Scientific Research and Development, was called in to analyze the Tesla papers in OAP custody.

            • @melpomenesclevage@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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              58 hours ago

              im saying you can’t really judge a non-expert for being the kind of shitty guy that was in vogue to be shitty at the time, especially if it’s not a primary thing. nicola tesla doing a eugenics? yeah whatever. his approximate contemporary, margaret sanger, you can give a lot more shit on the topic, because she was a fucking doctor.

              this doesn’t just apply to history! as someone who has generally been on the right side of history, I have lived through this. several times. A current example, aside from the obvious nazi shit and transphobia, would be the whole push to equate large language models with “AI” and orient all of our society’s productive capacity towards making them like we’re a giant god damn paperclip machine. I can’t give any lay person who was into the tech in 2023 too terribly much shit about it-but if you were in any sort of information science, math, IT, or neuro-anything, and you were in favor of how it was being pushed for more than five minutes, I will mock you mercilessly until the day one of us dies, and then if it was you, ill graffiti the mockery on your fucking grave.

              how strongly was he in favor of eugenics? did he have any ability to push the needle? did he care emotionally, or was it just a quick glance ‘yeah that sounds close enough and I trust the experts. anyway, back to stuff I actually care about’ kind of opinion?

              • LustyArgonian
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                13 hours ago

                It’s not about “judging,” it’s about not feeling sorry for Tesla’s name being attached to a shitty eugenicist since he himself was a eugenicist

  • @chronicledmonocle@lemmy.world
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    461 day ago

    Honestly? Might not be a bad idea to consider buying a used Tesla after they tank in value.

    1. No money goes to Elon in that exchange, so you’re not supporting the fascist prick. They made their money off the first buyer.

    2. It’s environmentally friendly to buy a used vehicle, rather than a new one, as you extend it’s life and reduce it’s carbon footprint

    3. Since everybody is abandoning them, they’re cheaper than other options.

    My only reservation is that I’d be driving around a Tesla still, so if I did something like this I’d have to de-brand the hell out of it somehow to make it appear as a generic “an car”.

    • Ulrich
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      31 day ago

      No money goes to Elon in that exchange, so you’re not supporting the fascist prick.

      One could say the same about not selling your Tesla in the first place.

    • @explodicle@sh.itjust.works
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      211 day ago

      No money goes to Elon directly, but it still increases the market price of Teslas. So someone else deciding between used and new might just buy new because it doesn’t cost much extra.

    • @thrawn@lemmy.world
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      31 day ago

      One downside is that Teslas are uncomfortable. I liked them a lot circa 2016, the Model S used to be my favorite vehicle. They simply haven’t held a competitive advantage, or in the case of the 3/Y, are genuinely quite bad. I’d rather pay more for something better, and that was before the CEO became this.

    • @Shortstack@reddthat.com
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      1201 day ago

      Your heart’s in the right place but this is bad advice.

      Teslas are still wickedly expensive to repair and there’s only the dealership who can do those repairs.

      And the parts break way too often, even parts that shouldn’t break ever, like the door handles that only Tesla can replace. The cost of that can apparently be over $1k. For a door handle.

      It’d be a money pit after the warranty period runs out. You’re still going to be better off with a run of the mill beater car

      Until Tesla allows other shops to do repairs, those swastikars will never be economical even if you ignore the Nazi part

      Your point about buying used being better for the environment also applies to older gas powered cars too, which will be easier and cheaper to repair

      • @OwlHamster@lemm.ee
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        211 day ago

        I’ve owned a Tesla and I’d say your wrong about pretty much everything here.

        The whole point of buying an EV is that it stops polluting after it’s been manufactured (ignoring tires) and specifically that you stop polluting your local environment, making it out like used gas powered cars are just as good as used EVs is disingenuous at best.

      • @OhVenus_Baby@lemmy.ml
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        11 day ago

        Part of the win is electric vs gas too though. Use the electric until it’s gone and toasted then get a beater.

      • @barsoap@lemm.ee
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        1522 hours ago

        there’s only the dealership who can do those repairs.

        That’s illegal AF in the EU, or at least Germany. They already got into very hot water for trying to price independent repairs out by making their diagnostic software ludicrously expensive.

        • @bassomitron@lemmy.world
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          420 hours ago

          It’s actually illegal in some US states, too. Right to repair at the federal level is still being fought, iirc. There was a lot of progress being made around 2023, but got stalled. Hopefully the current oligarchy administration doesn’t end up butchering that movement, but I’m not very optimistic.

          • @barsoap@lemm.ee
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            321 hours ago

            Oh they certainly do but the SME lobby tends to have more influence. Repair shops are businesses, too.

            And it’s not always a good thing, e.g. when it comes to the Supply Chain Act the fat cat lobby was way more sane than the SME one: Nestle doesn’t mind monitoring its supply chain for human rights abuses it’s quite vertically integrated and the practice is a great defence against lawsuits and also getting fucked over / internal corruption while the SMEs are fearing bureaucracy and costs. It’s not like slave farm owners would share their ill-gotten profits with Nestle, they pocket the difference to standard market prices.

      • Ulrich
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        1 day ago

        Teslas are still wickedly expensive to repair and there’s only the dealership who can do those repairs.

        Where are you getting that from? There are plenty of 3rd party shops that can and do service Teslas. They even made their repair manuals public and sell the OEM components online.

        The cost of that can apparently be over $1k. For a door handle.

        That’s a door handle on a $100k+ car.

      • @ExcessShiv@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        Until Tesla allows other shops to do repairs, those swastikars will never be economical even if you ignore the Nazi part

        Everything on them can be fixed by a regular mechanic, and Tesla isn’t stopping it (at least not in Europe). People are getting 3rd party special shops to fix HV batteries and motors on old model S without any issues. Brakes, suspension, steering, LV electrical (windows, lights, handles etc.), AC can be fixed by anyone without issues. And aside from body parts and a few specialty components (their “octovalve” comes to mind), it’s mostly standard auto components that can be bought from 3rd party manufacturers without giving Tesla any money.

        Edit: a model 3/Y door handle is around $100, of course still expensive but also far below your $1000 example, and on par with an original handle for my old ass Peugeot 308.

  • Eugene V. Debs' Ghost
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    15 hours ago

    I hope they lose money because they bought a 1939 Volkswagan with an electric motor on it, and then claimed

    Well how was I meant to know the man who lives on the internet 24/7 and can’t shut up about his opinions of women, non-whites, fascism, lgbt, and lies like he needs his pants to be warm for the winter, was somehow a bad guy? I bought a cool sticker, so I’m absolved of giving him any money :^)

    These people bought them because they thought he was a real life Tony Stark, especially the early models and Cybertrucks. I consider everyone driving in one a useful idiot for Trump and Musk.

  • @AidsKitty@lemmy.world
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    -51 day ago

    What happens if Tesla falls? America’s charging station infrastructure is owned by Tesla. Looks like the whole EV push has been a complete failure. What about the environment and global warming, seems like people really don’t care about any of that in comparison to settling political grievances. It is what it is.

      • @AidsKitty@lemmy.world
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        -61 day ago

        Im a little unclear on your charge of fascism here. Could you list examples of the fascist events or occurances you have suffered?

        • @nomy@lemmy.zip
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          522 hours ago

          Ah yes the “could you please list specific ways you’ve been harmed” that’s definitely asked in good faith to further a productive discussion.

          Sealion.

          • @AidsKitty@lemmy.world
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            -221 hours ago

            I’ve asked multiple people and never once has anyone given an example, or an experience, but this is the first time i was called a sealion.

            • @nomy@lemmy.zip
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              321 hours ago

              Women are no longer able to get adequate medical care and my trans friends can no longer be their true selves. The family that runs the grocery store down the street is scared of anybody in a blue uniform. You’re either willfully malicious or so uninformed that your opinion on it is useless.

              That you pretend to care and to be objective is a joke. We can all see exactly what you are.

              • @AidsKitty@lemmy.world
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                07 hours ago

                Trans people can live however they choose to and people have been fighting over abortion since the 1970s. I dont understand how these qualify as examples of fascism? I understand you do not agree with the abortion ruling but how does it support your claim of living under a fascist government?

  • LustyArgonian
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    2411 hours ago

    Who will service those when Tesla goes out of business? Where will you get parts? Yeah, it’s time to jump ship

  • Chozo
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    691 day ago

    For its part, Tesla has been trying to boost its image with the help of President Trump.

    Yeah, that’s part of the problem, Elon.

  • FenrirIII
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    1121 hours ago

    White people are selling, Indians are buying. Every Indian neighbor I have owns at least one Tesla

    • @bradd@lemmy.world
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      1020 hours ago

      It’s not just Indian. There’s an Ethiopian church down the street, every sunday our block is full of Teslas, two of them are cyber trucks. So weird.

  • @A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world
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    -108 hours ago

    Boo hoo, don’t care. Hope they all lose their asses.

    especially the assholes that slap “I bought it before we knew Elon was an ass” style stickers on their cars.

    Musk has always been a miserable piece of shit. You just turned a blind eye to it because you wanted to hero worship a emotionally stunted perpetually 13 year old troglodyte, until you couldnt anymore.

    • @misteloct@lemmy.world
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      25 hours ago

      I also remember the hero worship in 2015-20ish, even when projects like Hyperloop and countless others were a well known scam. I worked in top tech and their product team worshipped him, they hated me after I tried expressing skepticism. These people probably think he’s nuts in 2025, but also say “that wasn’t a Nazi salute, stop overreacting”.

    • @psivchaz@reddthat.com
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      97 hours ago

      So you’ve never done business with a company who’s CEO is an asshole? Never bought gas, used Windows, googled something, gotten on Facebook?

      I knew full well this guy was an asshole. So is pretty much every CEO in America. You can’t opt out, you can only choose which asshole you want to do business with. The holier-than-thou bullshit because Musk is the asshole of the day helps no one. If you buy oil at all, you’re funding an industry that has lobbied governments around the world to buy more oil for literal generations, all while knowing the harm it was causing and the people it was killing and would kill.

      It’s cool that you’ve picked the Nazi you hate over the ones that had the good sense to stay home, but it’s childish at best to think that makes you a better person.

    • 74 183.84
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      68 hours ago

      True to your username to just assume everyone who bought one turned a blind eye to him so they could have a hero to worship. Thats just a weird thing to say

      • @A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world
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        -38 hours ago

        Yes yes, I’m sure thats what everyone that bought into his saviour of humanity bullshit 20 years ago with his electric cars and rockets is gonna say.

        Because the alternative is admitting wrong, and god forbid anyone do that. Why do that when you can blindly leap into the low hanging trap of my username.

  • katy ✨
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    2919 hours ago

    spacex and starlink need to be the next to go.

        • @JuxtaposedJaguar@lemmy.ml
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          314 hours ago

          Honestly I’m surprised Elon hasn’t killed the SLS and given SpaceX that contract; it’s one of the few things that would both benefit him and increase the efficiency of the government. He’s probably scared of Boeing suiciding him.

        • @melpomenesclevage@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          614 hours ago

          im in favor of any company these fuckers were on the board of or were allowed to hold substantial shares of being nationalized as punishment, if we don’t end up with some form of communism or blasted wastelands after all this. The capital class needs to be shown consequences, and if we don’t get guillotines, they need to at least be forced to watch us sautee their balls.

  • @Hejej@lemmy.ml
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    54 hours ago

    I know this the unpopular opinion at the moment, but what electric sedan is better than a model 3? The rest of the producers have all decided we want to drive crossovers or boxes and simply cannot figure out how to make a frunk.

  • Sabata
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    391 day ago

    Ill give you $200 for the battery, the motor, and some chonky relays if you scrape the branding off.

      • Sabata
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        120 hours ago

        I’ll be 100% honest, I don’t know but I like to think I would at least get the motor going for a little bit before it melts and stinks up the house. Just like most things i play around with.

    • @Clearwater@lemmy.world
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      151 day ago

      I was joking with some friends about doing exactly this. Schuck it down to just the battery and minimal drivetrain, and make a very heavy go-kart.

        • Sabata
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          20 hours ago

          I just looked up the motor, that’s a bit bigger than a living room coffee table project. I may regret my offer.

    • TimLovesTech (AuDHD)(he/him)
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      1923 hours ago

      I saw pics of someone that rebadged their model 3 I think it was with an Audi badge, and if you knew nothing about cars it looked believable.

        • @NotJohnSmith@feddit.uk
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          419 hours ago

          I reckon the Mazda badge is a good call as the tesla 3 has the vibe of a Mazda I think.

          I rmemeber rocking up to guys place to buy a sofa and his mum was there, I said I really liked her Hyundai Coupe and she said it wasn’t one as she’d got different badges on it. Found it so funny that it was a nice looking car at the time but she clearly couldn’t cope with the idea of owning a Hyundai

          • @Ilovethebomb@lemm.ee
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            15 hours ago

            There’s a lot of cars where even a car nut wouldn’t pick they’d been badge swapped.

            Most hatchbacks you can only tell apart by the shape of the lights.