Elon Musk wins defamation case against "pedo guy"

[mongeese]

In a nutshell: The jury has ruled that Elon Musk is not liable for damages after calling Vernon Unsworth, a cave diver involved in the rescue of a soccer team in Thailand, a “pedo guy.” Musk’s defense was that his hastily deleted tweet was only meant to insult Unsworth, rather than damage his reputation.

Walking out of court, Musk told reporters, “my faith in humanity is restored.”

In July 2018, when twelve boys and their coach were trapped in a flooded cave system, Unsworth was planning a rescue attempt with Thai divers while Elon Musk began constructing a miniature submarine designed for extraction. Fortunately, the divers were able to rescue the boys and Musk’s plan B wasn’t required.

A few days later, however, in an interview with CNN Unsworth said the sub “had absolutely no chance of working” because Musk “had no concept of what the cave passage was like.” He claimed it was only a publicity stunt and told Musk to “stick his sub where it hurt.”

The submarine being tested in a Los Angeles swimming pool.

Musk bit back on Twitter saying “we will make [a video] of the mini-sub/pod going all the way to Cave 5 no problem. Sorry pedo guy, you really did ask for it.”

And a month later, Musk tweeted “you don’t think it’s strange he hasn’t sued me?” …and Unsworth initiated the proceedings to sue him. (Who was asking for it then, huh?) Unsworth’s lawyer asked for $5 million in damages, $35 million in assumed damages and $150 million in punitive damages, a “hard slap on the wrist” for billionaire Elon Musk.

Unsworth claimed Musk’s statements had ruined his reputation and caused him “shame, mortification, worry, and distress.” Musk argued that the tweets were “obviously a very off the cuff response” and by deleting them and apologizing for them, he had made it clear he was not making an accusation against Unsworth, who he never actually mentioned by name.

“I knew he didn’t mean to sodomize me with a submarine, just as I didn’t literally mean he was a pedophile.”

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/83077-elon-musk-wins-defamation-case-against-pedo-guy.html

 

[VitalyT]

This sick society, where it is ok for poor folks to make defamatory statements, but not for rich guys, not even as a response.

It was the other way round 100 years ago, and I think that way we were more civil and sensible back then (at least in relation to the freedom of speech).

 

[wiyosaya]

Prepare for Musk's head to inflate even more.

 

[amghwk]

Justice is only for the rich and famous.

 

[hypertotoro]

Money always win.

 

[hypertotoro]

It was the other way round 100 years ago, and I think that way we were more civil and sensible back then (at least in relation to the freedom of speech).

Were you even alive 100 years ago, not to mention more civil?

 

[DaveBG]

Oh dang, now the pedo guy will have to pay for his lawyer....

 

[Manuel Diego]

Were you even alive 100 years ago, not to mention more civil?

Yes, the only way you can have any idea what the world was like 100 years ago is if you were alive then. Indeed.

 

[KingAlistair]

Who in their right mind thinks it is ok for someone to STEAL 100 million dollars from someone over an insult. Thank god reasonable people prevailed. I hate money seeking civil lawsuits, they are immoral. Getting rid of defamatory laws is a step forward, not a step back. Look at how it is still abused in Korea for example, where people still regularly sue over trivial things like this.

 

[Unusual Kmc]

So glad Elon won. What sort of ***** insults someone, then expects them not to hit back? It's such a double standard.
"Hey Elon your sub sucks"
"Hey pedo guy no it doesn't"
"How dare you insult me Elon, my IQ is infinitely higher than yours so I can tell with just a glance that your submarines sub-atomic particles don't line up in the exact order you need to traverse through the cave system, prepare to get sued"

 

[Evernessince]

So glad Elon won. What sort of ***** insults someone, then expects them not to hit back? It's such a double standard.
"Hey Elon your sub sucks"
"Hey pedo guy no it doesn't"
"How dare you insult me Elon, my IQ is infinitely higher than yours so I can tell with just a glance that your submarines sub-atomic particles don't line up in the exact order you need to traverse through the cave system, prepare to get sued"

Given that the cave diver was indeed saving people from a cave, I'd say he's qualified on the topic. I don't care how smart you think you are, a total novice is not going to know more then an experienced veteran. Given comments from other people at the rescue operation, Elon Musk was acting like a rich playboy and in the end his help didn't amount to much.

 

[m4a4]

Given that the cave diver was indeed saving people from a cave, I'd say he's qualified on the topic. I don't care how smart you think you are, a total novice is not going to know more then an experienced veteran. Given comments from other people at the rescue operation, Elon Musk was acting like a rich playboy and in the end his help didn't amount to much.

Man, I totally forgot that Elon was the only one designing the sub based on only his knowledge of the situation. No help from experts or otherwise. Nope.
/sarcasm

 

[wiyosaya]

So glad Elon won. What sort of ***** insults someone, then expects them not to hit back? It's such a double standard.
"Hey Elon your sub sucks"
"Hey pedo guy no it doesn't"
"How dare you insult me Elon, my IQ is infinitely higher than yours so I can tell with just a glance that your submarines sub-atomic particles don't line up in the exact order you need to traverse through the cave system, prepare to get sued"

Yes. It was definitely a chance for Musky to show his true character as an intelligent, wise, and understanding hero. Instead of jumping into the fray like an impetuous immature brat, he could have just let it slide.

I am not saying the diver did not go too far by saying Musky could shove his sub up his a$$, but there is a dividing line between true heroism and those who think they are true heroes and those who throw emotional fits because someone, in the middle of the fray, insulted them.

Musky could have chosen to react differently. He still could have gone there and offered to make a test run of the sub, but he chose to do what all impetuous brats do - run away.

 

[Evernessince]

Man, I totally forgot that Elon was the only one designing the sub based on only his knowledge of the situation. No help from experts or otherwise. Nope.
/sarcasm

Are you saying the people who designed the sub where experts at designing subs to go through caves?



They weren't even sub engineers, they were from spaceX. Might as well be willie e coyote at this point. Musk came in with some cockamamie plan with zero experience and unsurprisingly it all amounted to nothing.

 

[m4a4]

Are you saying the people who designed the sub where experts at designing subs to go through caves?



They weren't even sub engineers, they were from spaceX. Might as well be willie e coyote at this point. Musk came in with some cockamamie plan with zero experience and unsurprisingly it all amounted to nothing.

I'm saying that your disdain of Elon is blinding you to the fact that there are more people than just him working on the project (in the background). And the fact that you just dismiss the point that they can ask for help is just sad.

So, unless you personally know that it was just Elon and his "spaceX engineers", I'd suggest you stop looking so arrogant.

 

[captaincranky]

...[ ].....Musky could have chosen to react differently. He still could have gone there and offered to make a test run of the sub, but he chose to do what all impetuous brats do - run away....[ ]...

No, Musk is a profiteering blood sucker by any definition of standard. If he wanted to "helpl" he could have gone in first and asked if there was any way he could help, instead of blasting in, dressed in blue tights, a cape, with an "M" on his chest.

In fact, I think they even kicked Musk and his Tesla brand out of Puerto Rico after hurricane Maria struck. All he was trying to do there is leverage his "assistance", into a contract to equip the entire island with his batteries and solar panels.

He's at best, a parasite, of international renown.

 

[Nobina]

Regardless of the outcome, this is a bit of bad press for Musky. Calling someone a pedo carries more weight then calling him an ***** or something.

 

[Evernessince]

I'm saying that your disdain of Elon is blinding you to the fact that there are more people than just him working on the project (in the background). And the fact that you just dismiss the point that they can ask for help is just sad.

So, unless you personally know that it was just Elon and his "spaceX engineers", I'd suggest you stop looking so arrogant.

I neither hate nor like Musk. You are barking up the wrong tree.

"So, unless you personally know that it was just Elon and his "spaceX engineers", I'd suggest you stop looking so arrogant."

I have this thing called evidence of absence

Evidence of absence - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Clearly musk DID NOT ask for help from a professional in the field (like the cave diver he insulted) or else his sub would have been fit for the job. On the contrary, what evidence do you have that says otherwise? Nothing?

I have to wonder in you are actually making an assertion here or not. If you are asserting that musk did indeed seek help from a professional then in fact burden of proof would be on you. Any claims made without proof are baseless.

Your prior comment of:

"Man, I totally forgot that Elon was the only one designing the sub based on only his knowledge of the situation. No help from experts or otherwise. Nope.
/sarcasm "

Certainly seems to suggest that but you provided no proof.

It seems to me you either have an argument with no basis or you are simply making suggestions of what "could" have happened again without proof. All I did was point out the facts: Musk did not help, he did not have cave submarine experts on his team. If musk did ask for help from an expert like the cave diver then why did he fail?

 

[m4a4]

I neither hate nor like Musk. You are barking up the wrong tree.

"So, unless you personally know that it was just Elon and his "spaceX engineers", I'd suggest you stop looking so arrogant."

I have this thing called evidence of absence

Evidence of absence - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Clearly musk DID NOT ask for help from a professional in the field (like the cave diver he insulted) or else his sub would have been fit for the job. On the contrary, what evidence do you have that says otherwise? Nothing?

I have to wonder in you are actually making an assertion here or not. If you are asserting that musk did indeed seek help from a professional then in fact burden of proof would be on you. Any claims made without proof are baseless.

Your prior comment of:

"Man, I totally forgot that Elon was the only one designing the sub based on only his knowledge of the situation. No help from experts or otherwise. Nope.
/sarcasm "

Certainly seems to suggest that but you provided no proof.

It seems to me you either have an argument with no basis or you are simply making suggestions of what "could" have happened again without proof. All I did was point out the facts: Musk did not help, he did not have cave submarine experts on his team.

Not how that works. You're claiming no one in the field (sub or cave) helped him in this project.
So, back up your claim. Or all it is is logical fallacies against Musk, and arrogance.

Try again.

 

[Evernessince]

Not how that works. You're claiming no one in the field (sub or cave) helped him in this project.
So, back up your claim. Or all it is is logical fallacies against Musk, and arrogance.

Try again.

1. I already provided evidence as to that assertion

2. It was a response to YOUR claim, not a new one

I expected you to reply like this instead of actually providing your baseless claim.

 

[tesla1776]

I have this thing called evidence of absence

And another tactic that is found frequently as well...

Argumentum ad lapidem

 

[Uncle Al]

I hope Musk is manning that rocket to Mars this year .... it's time for a different planet to put up with him!

 

[m4a4]

1. I already provided evidence as to that assertion

2. It was a response to YOUR claim, not a new one

I expected you to reply like this instead of actually providing your baseless claim.

You didn't provide any evidence.

And congrats on another absurd claim that you can't backup.

Guess what? Don't try again. You can't backup your first or subsequent claims, and you know it.

 

[Evernessince]

And another tactic that is found frequently as well...

Argumentum ad lapidem

You are using that wrong. Claiming an argument is absurd is entirely different that claiming it is baseless. Mind you an argument has to first be proven in order for counter arguments to even fall under this logically fallacy. The idea of this logically fallacy is to point out the hypocrisy of baseless calls of absurdity against PROVEN claims, not unproven ones. I should not have to point out that an unproven argument is in fact unproven.

You didn't provide any evidence.

And congrats on another absurd claim that you can't backup.

Guess what? Don't try again. You can't backup your first or subsequent claims, and you know it.

Well let's break this down. My original comment

"Given that the cave diver was indeed saving people from a cave, I'd say he's qualified on the topic. I don't care how smart you think you are, a total novice is not going to know more then an experienced veteran. Given comments from other people at the rescue operation, Elon Musk was acting like a rich playboy and in the end his help didn't amount to much."

1. Cave diver is qualified for cave diving
2. Cave diver is more experienced at cave diving then Elon musk
3. Elon Musk's help didn't amount to much

The first two are fact. Every publication has the guy as a vetted professional.

The third is fact as well. In the end musk didn't save anyone. This is on every news article on the topic.

My second comment

"Are you saying the people who designed the sub where experts at designing subs to go through caves?



They weren't even sub engineers, they were from spaceX. Might as well be willie e coyote at this point. Musk came in with some cockamamie plan with zero experience and unsurprisingly it all amounted to nothing."

Fact: Elon Musk brought SpaceX engineers, not cave divers or experts in the field

So where's the part where you actually back up your claim? All I see is deflection.

 

[tesla1776]

You are using that wrong. Claiming an argument is absurd is entirely different that claiming it is baseless. Mind you an argument has to first be proven in order for counter arguments to even fall under this logically fallacy. The idea of this logically fallacy is to point out the hypocrisy of baseless calls of absurdity against PROVEN claims, not unproven ones. I should not have to point out that an unproven argument is in fact unproven.

er, how can I be using it wrong?

I said-
And another tactic that is found frequently