The Great Tech Disillusionment and the Race Toward Technofeudalism
When I first entered the tech and media industry 11 years ago, it felt like we were on the brink of something revolutionary. The promise of technology wasn’t just about profit, it was about making the world more connected, more efficient, and more just.
We believed in open-source collaboration, decentralized platforms, and innovation that would empower individuals. Tech was supposed to be the great equalizer. It was supposed to break down barriers, give people access to information, and create opportunities that never existed before.
We were optimists.
Fast forward to today, and it’s hard not to feel like we were naive.
Instead of the democratization of power, a handful of tech billionaires now control essential infrastructure, media, commerce, and even political decision-making. Instead of innovation for the public good, we’ve seen consolidation of power into the hands of a few tech oligarchs who answer to no one but their own interests.
Tech’s Transformation Into a Digital Feudal System
The modern economy no longer runs on physical factories. It runs on cloud infrastructure, AI models, and digital networks owned by a tiny group of corporations.
- Amazon doesn’t just sell products, it owns the very servers most of the internet runs on (AWS).
- Google doesn’t just help us find information, it decides what information is seen and monetized.
- Apple doesn’t just sell phones, it controls an entire ecosystem, charging tolls on developers, businesses, and content creators.
- Meta doesn’t just connect people, it controls the digital identities of billions, deciding who gets amplified and who gets silenced.
And then, there’s Elon Musk.
Elon Musk: The Ultimate Symbol of Tech’s Broken Promises
Once hailed as a visionary genius, Musk represented tech at its most ambitious, from Tesla’s electric revolution, SpaceX’s mission to Mars to Neuralink’s dream of human-AI integration. He wasn’t just another billionaire, he was supposed to be the one actually pushing humanity forward.
Today, he wields power like a 21st-century emperor:
- He runs an unelected government agency (DOGE) tasked with slashing the federal workforce.
- He controls Starlink, a global internet provider that he has personally used to intervene in international conflicts.
- He owns X (formerly Twitter), which he has turned into a political propaganda machine.
- He is dictating space policy, defense contracts, and telecom regulations, all while answering to no voters, no board, and no accountability.
Musk’s journey isn’t about innovation anymore, it’s about control.
And nowhere is that more apparent than in Starlink.
Musk’s Endgame: Controlling Global Telecommunications
While the world is fixated on Tesla’s downfall, the real power grab is happening with Starlink.
Starlink isn’t just another satellite internet provider, it’s an entirely separate internet infrastructure that bypasses national governments, telecom monopolies, and traditional regulations.
Musk has already used Starlink to influence wars. In 2022, he prevented Ukraine from launching a surprise attack on Russia by refusing to activate Starlink services in the region.
Now, with his position in Trump’s administration, he’s leveraging government power to make Starlink the backbone of global internet infrastructure:
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is reviewing a $2.4 billion contract that could shift critical aviation communications from Verizon to Starlink.
Musk has pushed US government agencies to start using Starlink, bypassing traditional telecom regulations.
India, the world’s second-largest internet market, has now agreed to work with Starlink, giving Musk access to 70% of Indian mobile users.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is rewriting broadband rules to funnel more federal grants to Starlink, potentially shifting billions away from fiber-optic expansion.
If this consolidation continues, Musk won’t just own a company, he’ll own the digital highways of the world.
Source: Inamdar, N., & Sebastian, M. (2025). India’s Jio and Airtel ink deals to bring in Musk’s Starlink. BBC News. [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqx0qpy3204o]
When Science Clashes With Power
Musk’s scientific legacy is now under scrutiny. The Royal Society, the world's oldest scientific institution, is currently facing pressure to revoke his fellowship, a title once shared with Einstein, Darwin, and Newton.
Why?
Because his political actions are overshadowing his contributions to science.
Musk’s comments on race, vaccines, and extremism have sparked backlash from the scientific community.
His decisions to manipulate Starlink access for geopolitical leverage are raising concerns about the militarization of private technology.
His alignment with Trump and far-right movements globally is making him a political actor, not just a scientist.
The reality is: scientific achievements do not grant someone the right to shape society unchecked.
Source: Andersen, R. (2025). Throw Elon Musk out of the Royal Society. The Atlantic. [https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2025/03/elon-musk-royal-society-science/682018/]
From Tech Utopia to Digital Serfdom
We were promised a decentralized, democratized internet, one where power was spread, information was free, and technology served the people.
Instead, we got a digital feudal system, where a few lords own the land (platforms, data, AI models), and the rest of us just rent access to it.
And as Musk’s empire shakes—with Tesla burning, Starlink under scrutiny, and global protests mounting, the real question isn’t about him.
It’s about us.
The Tech Reckoning Has Begun
This is not the tech industry I believed in when I started.
Tech’s golden age wasn’t supposed to end like this. We thought we were building a better world. Instead, we created a system that rewards control over creativity, monopolies over markets, and empire-building over innovation.
But things can change.
Musk may be the first tech emperor to show his cards but he won’t be the last.
And as we watch his empire shake, we should be asking:
How do we make sure the next era of tech is different?
Where Do We Go From Here?
1. Reclaiming Digital Power – We can’t afford to let the future be controlled by unelected tech billionaires. Regulators, developers, and users alike need to push for decentralization, transparency, and accountability in tech governance.
2. Breaking Up Tech Monopolies – The same way we once broke up Standard Oil and Ma Bell, it’s time to consider how much power a single company should have over critical infrastructure.
3. Rethinking Innovation – True innovation isn’t about billionaires playing kingmakers. It’s about real solutions to real problems, independent of ego and control.
References:
1. Rolling Stone. (2025, March 10). Musk melts down as Tesla stock price plunges. Rolling Stone. Retrieved from [https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/musk-tesla-stock-price-plunge-1235292855/]
2. Associated Press (AP) News. (2025, March 11). Trump’s efforts to help Tesla could hurt it instead. AP News. Retrieved from [https://apnews.com/article/tesla-stock-musk-trump-evs-sales-b3118cbab69fbfaa3abcceb059ba8c58]
3. The Atlantic. (2025, March 12). Throw Elon Musk out of the Royal Society. The Atlantic. Retrieved from [https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2025/03/elon-musk-royal-society-science/682018/]
4. Vox. (2025, March 12). The Tesla backlash is here. Vox. Retrieved from [https://www.vox.com/politics/403371/tesla-boycott-trump-elon-musk-doge]
5. Forbes. (2025, March 12). JPMorgan’s scathing Tesla prediction: Musk’s car company will report worst quarterly deliveries in 3 years. Forbes. Retrieved from [https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2025/03/12/jpmorgans-scathing-tesla-prediction-musks-car-company-will-report-worst-quarterly-deliveries-in-3-years/]
6. Financial Times. (2025, March 11). Elon Musk’s self-destruction and its ripple effect on his business empire. Financial Times. Retrieved from [https://www.ft.com/content/ea5b09e7-1b05-4b62-9aad-64705170d6a9]
7. BBC News. (2025, March 12). India’s Jio and Airtel ink deals to bring in Musk’s Starlink. BBC News. Retrieved from [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqx0qpy3204o]
8. Fortune. (2025, March 11). Tesla mega bull Dan Ives warns Elon Musk that patience is ‘wearing thin’. Fortune. Retrieved from [https://fortune.com/2025/03/11/tesla-bull-wedbush-dan-ives-change-of-tone-warns-elon-musk-patience-wearing-thin/]
9. Vox. (2025, March 12). The Elon Musk company you should be worried about right now (Starlink). Vox. Retrieved from [https://www.vox.com/technology/403721/tesla-trump-elon-musk-doge-starlink]