If the guy really is your friend, ask him bluntly. Don't tiptoe around the topic.

If he is a fascist and you don't want to be a sympathetiser your options are quite limited.

Again don't use colloquialisms, or soft language.

Determine if the relationship is having a negative impact on you, then either 1) assess why it's hurting you and if there's anything to adjust about how you're processing it, or 2) protect your mental health by setting up the boundaries that you need, cutting off as a last resort.

Be cautious about asking this online though. People are tribal about politics and have zero investment in your IRL relationships, so you may see lots of rationalizing of cutting off a lifelong friend, family member, spouse, etc without much nuance. Only you have the proper perspective to determine what you'd be sacrificing and if it's a net positive.

I cut ties with my mother for voting for the orange-bad again. I still love her, but I have friends who are directly targeted by that shitbag and she knows it. Do whatever you think necessary. I'm sorry that you've maybe lost a friend.

A lot of fascism and authoritarianism comes from loneliness or a lack of community. Cutting him off could mean he seeks more community with Nazis. Be clear about your beliefs, keep calling him out when he's wrong, but try to stay his friend. That's different than "supporting" his beliefs. Take care of him when he's sick, but don't drive him to the Nazi rally. Your friendship might make a difference on his journey back to healthy beliefs.

Also, really sorry your friend is dealing with this right now, I know it must suck to see this happen to him. It's not necessarily the final story though.

People who support nazis are also nazis

From what I understood from your post is that he's not interested in Elon, but rather in the money he made with Tesla

That doesn't sound like a bad thing, and certainly not like actively supporting Elon

Just trying to get by

Propaganda is more effective when coming from a friend. If he isnt being hateful or intolerable, you could try to convince him not to be a nazi sympathizer. The world always needs less nazi sympathizers

You said you had this conversation about Elon years ago, but obviously a lot has changed since then.

Try asking some deeper questions about why he still supports Musk now. Is he just trying to plug his head in the sand because he just likes Tesla/has a financial stake, or does he genuinely align with Musk's fascist leanings? Did he vote for Trump?

If they've been your friend for 40 years, then I think it's best you talk to him directly. Just be direct, don't tip-toe around the subject. Just like a marriage, the only thing that is going to relieve the tension and get things on track is open communication with your friend. But -- and this is important -- You have to be ready for the answers to not be what you want.

I don’t think it’s always necessary or even helpful to sever relationships solely because someone has toxic political beliefs.

I would think more in terms of what problems do you see with this relationship and what actions, if any could potentially solve these problems? What are you trying to achieve by ending this relationship?

"The CEO of your mega corp is a Nazi, you should leave the job you like to not support him."

Jobs are hard to come by and I doubt he directly works with Elon. He should absolutely get himself out of that situation if he can but that's always easier said than done.

Also its not like Teslas mission is ethnic cleansing, its to get everyone driving their electric cars. Would I buy one knowing it supports Elon? Hell no. If I already had a job at Tesla would I leave? Probably not. But at the end of the day its a mega corp and my options are limited.

That question is for you to answer, but in my opinion it's not worth it throwing away a long friendship over politics. You are allowed to have disagreements. Additionally if all his non-politically right friends / associates throw him away if might only push him even further into right politics.

Sadly no-one can tell you that as it is your decision based on your morals and your beliefs. It’s a hard decision, one that I also had to make. The question is, what is harder and more painful: losing this friend or being friends with someone who is like this.

Wish you all the strength you need to get through this.

Seems a lot of us are making this tough decisions recently. Truly no one can tell you what is best but I think if you feel you can still be a good influence on them then you should try. If not then don't risk them being a bad influence on you.

You could try a litmus test with your friend, based on the criteria you personally have for a friendship breakage.

For me, with my (now ex-)friend, it was a simple question: “Can you not see that Trump is a malignant narcissist who will—like at the end of his first term—not cede power at the end of his second?”

My (ex-)friend refused to render a judgment, so my response followed: “That cements it. I no longer have respect for your judgment of character. For you to support this transparent a wannabe dictator makes it clear you lack the basic moral fiber I expect in a friend. I’m sorry, but I no longer can call you someone I want to associate with, let alone a friend. I’m a truly, deeply disappointed in you, and will no longer tolerate your companionship. I have to draw the line somewhere. I tolerated your choice of husband, I tolerated your choice of political party, and I tolerated your first vote for Trump based on the idea that you didn’t understand the person you were voting for. No longer. You have had plenty of time to see the true character of the disturbingly mentally disordered candidate you voted for in 2016 and yet you still support him in 2024. I have such a low opinion on of you at this point that I can’t stomach keeping your company, even civilly.

Goodbye.”

Her response: a “HaHa” reaction to my comment.

We haven’t spoken since.

I’m sorry you’re going through this. Cutting people out of your life hurts even when it’s the right call, and it sucks things have deteriorated to the point of considering it.

I think the gut reaction a lot of people are going to have is to dump him, both because they think it’s the right thing to do and because it’s easy to say that when you’re not cutting an important person out of your own life. And I don’t think that’s a wrong impulse, but before going for the nuclear option, let’s at least take a look at what other options are available to you.

You mention he makes money in some way off Musk. To shift your perspective, what that means is you have access to someone that makes Musk money, who presumably also considers you a friend and values you. What is going to have the highest chance of success of convincing him to stop doing business with Musk?

You’re the one that knows him, nobody here can give a better answer than you. If you think that cutting him off cold turkey is going to be a real wake up call to him, then it might be the right way to go.

But be sure that’s what it is, and not that you don’t want to put in the work of having hard, uncomfortable conversations about it. Staying his friend (or at least in contact with him) but not censoring your opinion about Musk and the fact that it lowers your opinion of your friend might be more persuasive than you being out of his life and not kicking up a fuss. Again, you’re going to know better than anyone here since you know him.

Don't ask lemmy for advice. Lemmy cares about their own ideology and nothing else.

I trade money for goods and services. Does that make me a capitalist?

Just avoid talking about politics with them. Ultinately neither of you are in control of world events so focus on what you have in common instead of jettisoning someone from your life for something almost as superficial as supporting a different sports team.

A thing to think on from one of my favorite authors, and favorite characters, is sorta tangential to your predicament. Granny is talking religion with a priest about good and evil.

Granny Weatherwax: "There's no grays, only white that's got grubby. I'm surprised you don't know that. And sin, young man, is when you treat people like things. Including yourself. That's what sin is."

Mightily Oats: "It's a lot more complicated than that--"

GW: "No. It ain't. When people say things are a lot more complicated than that, they means they're getting worried that they won't like the truth. People as things, that's where it starts."

MO: "Oh, I'm sure there are worse crimes--"

GW: "But they starts with thinking about people as things..."

Is your friend a "thing"? No? Maybe he deserves a sit-down talk.