Yeah, I'm the same. As I said, I don't spend much time thinking about questions I can't answer. But I'm also really not seeing the problem you seem to be seeing.

No, simulation theory isn't falsifiable, but it's not a truth claim. Nor is it a belief system. I can't speak for Elon Musk (though I suspect he hasn't done this either), but I've never heard of anybody talking about simulation theory as if it's fact, or trying to derive any "oughts" from its "is". So unless I'm missing something important, I'm really not seeing the comparison to religion.

There's no need to "explain away" anything that we might discover through observation or scientific means. Because, as you already said, simultion theory isn't falsifiable, so there is no "real contrary evidence" that could ever be found. Absolutely no changes are required to the way we think about the world except allowing for the possibility that we don't live in the "top-level" reality.

The closest analogy I can think of is the people who thought that a non-geocentric model of the universe would transform their understanding of themselves and the world. But it didn't. Everything was the same. They just felt a little less central to everything.😄

Anyway, congratulations on your first article!! That's awesome! Welcome to the full Medium experience!! I'm actually surprised, you always make such interesting comments that I just assumed you were already writing here!