Elon Musk recently attracted attention not just for his ventures but for a black eye he displayed during a public appearance. The billionaire entrepreneur clarified that the bruising was the result of “horsing around” with his son. He provided this tongue-in-cheek justification to quash the growing speculation about his new romantic entanglement.
Speculation over Musk’s connections was fanned into flames just a few weeks ago. Fictional tabloid outrage followed at the rumored threesome between Musk, Stephen Miller, and Katie Miller. That relationship is still not proven. Still, multiple progressive online forums have connected Stephen Miller, Trump’s former deputy chief of staff, and Katie Miller, a political adviser, to Musk. How they relate to each other has thrilled audiences even more, inspiring commentary across social media, TikTok, YouTube and Reddit.
This past week, a cohort of leaders convened with us to advance this idea of creative relationship building. Others claimed that people in open relationships are just looking for new experiences and validation. Little did we know that the conversation would take a surprising, historic turn. The New York Democrats tweeted a picture of an empty hotel room chair — the infamous cuckold symbol — to mock what they claimed was happening. This picture supported the narrative that was emerging around Musk’s relationship soap opera, which everyone seemed to find fascinating.
At times throughout the converse, participants wrestled with a sense of wonder and ridicule at Musk’s vision. A user in a Facebook group commented on their lack of personal connections to anyone in an open relationship or marriage, stating,
“I know absolutely no one in an open relationship or marriage.” – Reddit user
After thousands of people chimed in on their dating and relationship experiences, one Redditor got real mad. Their husband is the one who wants to open their marriage for his new AI girlfriend. They asked the tough questions on how to keep the peace at home while being left behind by tech.
Given the current environment, one Reddit user recently posted about their experience dealing with a toxic dynamic, writing,
“How do I stay married to someone who’s half emotionally checked out of our life and into a fucking chatbot?” – Reddit user
Conversations around the complexities of these sorts of relationships are just starting to develop. Others are connecting individual stories with national patterns. In this spirit, the maintainers of the r/openmarriageregret subreddit wrote a thoughtful post about the gravity of decisions taken in partnership, writing,
“Life is about choices. Some we regret, some we are proud of – and some will haunt us forever.” – r/openmarriageregret subreddit
Musk’s personal life has received much of this media scrutiny. This month’s spotlight sheds light on his unique circumstances and the evolving landscape of today’s relationships. Though a lot is still up in the air regarding his ties to the Millers, America’s obsession with these intricate relationships continues.