The whole metaphor is a bit broken as it mixes files with routing. woke_mind_virus isn't a proper domain so you can't traceroute it (unless it was defined in /etc/hosts or something). You wouldn't delete a remote host with "rm -rf" (that's for files).

I think it's just a fun way for Elon to say he's done a bit of self reflection and found some residual woke virus within himself. Wonder if it's on the Israel thing or something else?

I suppose a higher interpretation of this could be that if you find the woke mind virus in yourself, you need to "clear out all files". A total system reset is necessary and you can't trust that any data is valid.

He says two things:

1. On local host a mind_virus was active.

2. he totally removed the scripts related to it.

@1 = effect. @2 = remedial action.

This leaves the location where the scripts reside not mentioned.

Indeed: rm -fr in and of itself would not work. At least it is the start. A very basic start.

This brings us to the question: how did he noted a mind-virus was active at localhost?

Or is he indicating, by the help of rootkit-maga, that he became aware of what drove him on the immigration issue, and now needs to distance himself from certain eh .... Make India Great at the Expense of America by radically rm -fr these notions?

It reminds me of a post on twitter between him and Ivanka Trump resulting in Ivanka signalling: welcome on board. ....

Added:

On the other hand, and this is a thought I got when doing some shopping, call it, instead of a shower-thought a shopping-thought:

The comment may be related to the DEI hires in the Fire Department in LA. That is the woke mind virus, and all of a sudden it does not look so good:

1. rm indeed means remove
2. -r means: recursively, meaning all folders, empty or not, below the folder in which the command is given.
   e.g. ~/documents/USA/california/la/burrows/*, and if that command is given in /USA all files and folders below USA are deleted permanently.
3. -f means: forced. And Fires like these: FORCE!

It is actually a an argument to the sub-command 'deleted' running the 'woke_mind_virus' script, or the output from another script :P