Even word processors aren’t safe from Elon Musk‘s war on wokeness.
The X (formerly Twitter) CEO took to social media to slam Microsoft Word’s inclusiveness checker.
Musk complained that he had been ‘scolded’ for using the word ‘insane’ in a document.
His supporters took to X to vent against the ‘woke‘ work processor with some joking that it was Microsoft which had gone insane.
Another supporter wrote that ‘wokeism has literally infiltrated everything on this planet’.
Musk has once again railed against ‘wokeism’ as he took to social media to complain about Microsoft Word’s inclusivity suggestions
Musk and his supporters have slammed Microsoft Word’s ‘woke’ inclusiveness checker for suggesting changes to ‘offensive’ terms
Musk’s fans have been outraged by the post with one popular Musk parody account claiming: ‘We must stop it’
Musk’s ire was drawn by a suggestion provided by Microsoft Word’s inclusiveness spell check feature.
While trying to write that a vehicle, presumable the Cybertruck, has ‘insane stability’ Microsoft noted that ‘this term implies mental health bias’.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Musk wrote: ‘Microsoft World now scolds you if you use words that aren’t “inclusive”!’
Musk’s supporters joined the X CEO in an outpouring of rage against the program’s interference.
‘MS Word is going woke’, wrote one angry commenter.
‘They really putting the Soft in Microsoft’, joked another.
Meanwhile, one commenter poked fun at the suggestion, writing: ‘That’s insane’.
Musk’s supporters on X have been outraged by the suggestion claiming that Microsoft Word is ‘going woke’
Musk also complained that Microsoft Word’s suggestions were offering alternative measurements to the imperial weight system.
Musk shared an image of text reading: ‘11,000lbs towing capacity’.
Beneath the text, Microsoft Word offered ‘perspectives’ suggestions including ‘about 4989.51 kg’ or ‘about twice the weight of an elephant’.
While Musk was equally annoyed by the suggestion, his supporters were less enthusiastic in their response.
‘I actually kinda like this one’, wrote one commenter, while another added: ‘This actually seems useful’.
Musk also complained that Microsoft Word suggested alternatives to the imperial weight system in his text
Musk’s fans, however, were less interested in this issue and many seemed to think that the suggestions were helpful
The feature causing Musk and his supporters so much anger is one of Microsoft’s ‘Ideas in Word’ features.
It mainly offers gender-neutral alternatives to phrases like ‘policeman’ or ‘manpower’ but also looks for phrases that other readers might find offensive.
Microsoft has received widespread ridicule for the tool’s often clumsy and rather haphazard suggestions.
However, the ‘inclusiveness checker’ as it is often referred to, has been part of all versions of Microsoft Word since 2019 and is always turned off by default.
Turning the checker on requires several steps and is always optional according to Microsoft.
Microsoft’s inclusivity checker has been widely mocked for its rather clumsy alternative suggestions which try to avoid gendered or racial language
Since taking over Twitter last year, Musk has been embroiled in an ongoing battle over free speech on the platform.
Musk has railed against ‘wokeism’ and has championed radical policies which he believes promote free speech.
In addition to limiting moderation on X, he has also repeatedly promoted controversial figures like Andrew Tate and Alex Jones.
Yet as a self-described ‘free-speech absolutist’ Musk’s attitude towards offensive content has drawn him into conflict with advertisers.
Big advertisers fled the platform en masse after an apparent rise in hate speech and antisemitism.
Tensions came to a head when Musk told advertisers who had left to ‘go f*** yourself’ at a recent event.
This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk
