I didn’t think that I would ever write the words “I feel sorry for Elon Musk”—but then again, much in life has not turned out the way I thought it would. Despite the tech mogul’s immense wealth and the fact that his politics and their impact on the world seem to grow more abhorrent with each passing day, I feel sorry for Elon Musk. 

I feel sorrier, to be sure, for the many people harmed by his actions: a group that has seemed to grow by the hour lately, given the recent changes Musk has overseen as a senior adviser to US President Donald Trump. Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, launched in January to cut federal spending, has terminated federal diversity, equity and inclusion grants and contracts, and cancelled thousands of contracts for international aid. And under Musk’s ownership, the social media company X has ...