Could Elon Musk help end world hunger instead of buying Twitter for US$44 billion? — Marvel star Simu Liu’s tweets, “Was there nothing better to do with 44 billion dollars?”

Less than two weeks after Elon Musk placed a bid to buy Twitter for US$44 billion (S$61 billion), the board of the social microblogging site agreed, and it was reported on Tuesday that Musk would take over as Twitter’s owner.

Many reacted online to the news, including Simu Liu, the Canadian star of Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ring.

He tweeted: “Was there nothing better to do with 44 billion dollars?”

Incidentally, US$44 billion is just a shade under the annual GDP of Lithuania, which according to Worldometers, is US$ 47.5 billion.

Was there nothing better to do with 44 billion dollars?

— Simu Liu (刘思慕) (@SimuLiu) April 25, 2022

Liu’s tweet is widely understood to be in the context of a tweet from Musk about solving world hunger in October last year.

A CNN report from that month claimed that the head of the World Food Programme, David Beasley, said that “2 per cent of Elon Musk’s wealth could solve world hunger.”

Musk tweeted that if the UN World Food Programme “can describe on this Twitter thread exactly how $6bn (£4.7bn) will solve world hunger, I will sell Tesla stock right now and do it.”

If WFP can describe on this Twitter thread exactly how $6B will solve world hunger, I will sell Tesla stock right now and do it.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 31, 2021

The head of the World Food Programme, David Beasley, tweeted back then, saying that US$6 billion would not solve world hunger, but “WILL prevent geopolitical instability, mass migration and save 42 million people on the brink of starvation”.

.@elonmusk! Headline not accurate. $6B will not solve world hunger, but it WILL prevent geopolitical instability, mass migration and save 42 million people on the brink of starvation. An unprecedented crisis and a perfect storm due to Covid/conflict/climate crises.

— David Beasley (@WFPChief) October 31, 2021

In a follow-up tweet, he wrote, “With your help we can bring hope, build stability and change the future… I can be on the next flight to you. Throw me out if you don’t like what you hear!”

.@elonmusk With your help we can bring hope, build stability and change the future.

Let’s talk: It isn’t as complicated as Falcon Heavy, but too much at stake to not at least have a conversation. I can be on the next flight to you. Throw me out if you don’t like what you hear!

— David Beasley (@WFPChief) October 31, 2021

But back to Simu Liu. A number of Twitter users also remembered what Musk had said about ending world hunger as well.

Others, however, hit back at the actor, saying that how the multibillionaire, whose net worth is currently estimated to be US$264.6 billion (SGD365 billion), spends his money is his business.

Musk was a co-founder of a company that eventually became PayPal. SpaceX is likely one of the most high profile ventures he founded. Musk is best known as CEO of Tesla, which he joined in 2004.

Another Twitter user even wrote that what Musk is doing is a good thing, as he claims he is trying to protect free speech by buying Twitter.

Some even turned the argument around, asking the Marvel actor what he’s doing with his own wealth. Simu Liu is estimated to be worth US$19 million, or just a shade over S$26 million. 

/TISG

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