In a moment of rare hindsight, Eloise Musk, the billionaire tech visionary known for his advancements in space, electric vehicles, and artificial intelligence, decided to immerse herself in the everyday experience of a working person. Her idea was simple: dress up as a cashier at a local grocery store and observe how people treat those who work in the service sector. Little did she know that this experiment would not only test her perception of social hierarchies, but would also reveal the harsh realities that workers face in a world dominated by the rich and powerful.
Musk dressed himself in the most suggestive of ways: a cashier costume, with a name tag reading “Eli.” For him, this experiment was about seeing life from the lowest level, understanding what it feels like to be invisible, witnessing firsthand the casual disdain often directed toward those in lower-paying jobs. He’d dreamed up spaceships and electric cars, but today, his hands moved on autopilot, pulling objects like any other cashier. He quickly realized how exhausting and depressing the job could be, but it wasn’t until a wealthy customer stepped in for him that the true nature of the experiment began to reveal itself.
The map was the embodiment of wealth and arrogance; his designer suit and luxury watch stood in stark contrast to the plaid uniform Musk sported. The moment Elop’s leash was removed, the atmosphere in the store changed. The air seemed to grow heavier with temperature; the map’s presence was like a storm cloud in an otherwise mobile supermarket. Unconsciously, Musk tossed his purchases down the conveyor belt, impatience radiating from his every move. His attention remained focused on his phone, as if the cashier were a mere obstacle between him and his purchase.
As Eloi gathered the items, he could sense the palpable disdain emanating from the map. The wealthy customer’s behavior reflected a common social phenomenon: the dehumanization of workers deemed “inferior.” In a world that increasingly worships wealth and status, those in lower-paying jobs are often seen as little more than tools to facilitate the desires of the wealthy. Eloi, despite his position as a billionaire, had never experienced this firsthand.
As the transaction progressed, the map’s impatience grew. By the time Musk finished buying the groceries and paid the total ($57.84), the wealthy map barely gave him a glance and placed down his gold-plated credit card as if the simple act of paying for his goods should have been enough to express reverence. But when the payment didn’t go through, the situation took a dramatic turn.
The card was rejected. Eloí, trying to maintain his composure, suggested that the machine try again, but the rich man’s reaction was immediate and explosive. His arrogance quickly turned to anger as he tried to find out why his card was not working. He persisted in swiping it several times, as if the machine could obey his will through force. However, the card remained rejected and the billionaire’s world of comfort and control began to crumble.
For the first time, Eloi Musk witnessed the comfortable reality of feeling powerless, of having special privileges, of easy solutions. The map’s face flushed with shame and rage, his ego was bruised in front of others, and the situation began to unravel. But what came next was even more revealing: the map, now completely furious, handed Musk another credit card: a sleek black card that seemed to radiate prestige. The transaction eventually went through, but the map’s behavior had already revealed much more than just his wealth.
He grabbed his bags roughly, causing a carton of eggs to fall and shatter on the floor, scattering its contents everywhere. He didn’t flinch or apologize. Instead, he kicked a soda cap at Elop, clearly annoyed by the delay. His actions weren’t just a burst of frustration, they were a display of his entitlement, a belief that his status and wealth gave him the right to treat others with disdain. To him, the cashier was not a person but a mere candidate who was supposed to cater to his whims, and any deviation from that script was an offense that had to be punished.
Eloï watched the scene unfold, his hands still gripping the counter. His mind raced, questioning the nature of human interactions. He had come to witness how the rich and powerful treated ordinary people, and this interaction had confirmed his worst fears. He had expected a certain level of arrogance, but the casual cruelty of the rich man’s behavior was something he hadn’t anticipated. Eloï considered revealing himself and telling the map that the cashier he had just humiliated was, in fact, one of the richest people in the world. But he refrained, choosing instead to remain silent. He watched as the map walked away, his ego restored, leaving behind a trail of broken eggs and spilled soda.
The experiment didn’t end there. When the map emerged, his reckless arrogance led him into an unfortunate encounter with another customer, a weary-looking middle-aged woman with a small child who had been dragged along. The collision caused his purchases to scatter, but the wealthy map didn’t even turn around to acknowledge the accident. He muttered a dismissive comment, “Watch where you’re going,” and stepped away. The woman, visibly exhausted, went down to gather her things, resigned to the chaos of the world around her.
Walking into that supermarket, in the unassuming guise of a cashier, Eloisa Musk realized the truth: this was not just a matter of wealth and power, but a reflection of a societal mindset that devalues the humanity of the lowest positions. The rich man had been driven mad by the personality before him, able or willing to acknowledge that the cashier was, in fact, a human being deserving of respect. It was a stark reminder that, for all her accomplishments, Eloisa Musk was now, for a moment, on the other side of that divide, experiencing the reality of what it means to be ignored, to be treated as if she were insignificant.
When the shop had returned to its usual pace, Elop went downstairs to clean up the mess left by the teacher’s careless exit. He felt neither anger nor frustration, but a deep sense of sadness, disappointment and empathy. He had come to this experiment expecting to learn something about the behaviour of others, but what he discovered was a harsh reality: the true cost of inequality is not just in the wealth one accumulates, but in the way people are treated based on their status in society.
