WASHINGTON: Elon Musk on Wednesday adopted the moniker “Cakeius Maximus” for X, prompting speculation among his 210 million followers about his mysterious new handle, an alt-right symbol, a meme coin, And the main character is a mash-up. The movie “Gladiator”
Musk also replaced his profile picture with a popular cartoon character, “Pep the Frog”, dressed in ancient Roman clothing and holding a video game joystick.
Musk didn’t offer an explanation for the new username and avatar, but the move had an immediate impact.
The change sent shockwaves through the cryptocurrency world, sending the value of a memecoin — a digital currency inspired by the Internet meme — skyrocketing.
It also sent Internet sleuths searching for answers: Was the name change just for laughs? Was there a hidden message? Was this another thinly disguised attempt to shock the crypto markets? More troubling, was it a wink and a nod to online hate groups?
His new handle appears to be a combination of “Maximus Decimus Meridius” — a Roman general played by Russell Crowe in the 2000 smash hit “Gladiator” — and “Cake,” a nod to the alt-right and Internet trolls. Popularly used as a variation of “LOL” or laugh out loud.
The nonprofit Southern Poverty Law Center told AFP that “cake” is also a reference to a “virtual white nationalist god,” adding that images of the Roman male are used by white nationalist groups such as Identity Europe. .
Pepe the Frog was originally a cartoon character from the “Boy’s Club” comic series, but became associated with the Alt-Right and white supremacy during Trump’s first presidential campaign, with the Anti-Defamation League labeling him “hateful.” symbol.”
“Most uses of Pepe the Frog have been, and continue to be, nonpartisan,” the ADL wrote on its website.
However, as it spread online, the meme centered on “racist, anti-Semitic or other bigoted themes”.
“Manipulators can twist anything to wink and wink at online hate subcultures, and feign ignorance,” the SPLC said.
“The use of the meme and the name is indicative of a persistent online culture that claims hateful ideas are just jokes. Hate is no joke.”