The downfall of Twitter/the rise of X

[Skeever]

Since Elon introduced the pay check and loosened the moderation, Twitter has really become a haven for redpillers, antivaxers, conspiracy theorists, and crypto-bros.

[Stadler]

The term “Nazi” in modern day has basically just come to mean any act of extremism whatsoever.   You need only to look at one of Seinfeld’s most famous episodes about the “soup nazi”

It's still primarily the go-to of the left though. Not that most of them know what real fascism is, but still, it's usually meant to point rightward.  No one is really calling Ocasio-Cortez or the Squad Nazi's, despite their extremism.

I’m really going to push back on this. I have a lot of in laws who are right wing (a couple of them are extremists) and while I might not hear the exact term “Nazi”, I do oftentimes hear “tyrannical”, “terrorists”, and sometimes even the observation that they are being called “nazi’s” while claiming their opponents are actually closer to Nazi-ism in their policies.  So I see absolutely no difference between the two sides at all.

There IS a difference though.  You admit that they don't hear the exact term Nazi as they describe the behavior; whereas it's a branding iron for the left, and it DOES get used, and purposefully, to hammer the point home regardless of the actual behavior.   THAT'S the difference.  One person here loves to associate me with Nazism, and I'm about as far from a Nazi as you can get.  Seriously.  More broadly, the extremes of both sides fall dangerously close to ACTUAL fascism - it's often discredited because it doesn't document the hate and nationalist jingoism that many require for real facism, but the book Liberal Fascism paints a fair picture of this. What's that saying?  The line from communism to liberalism goes right through fascism"?    I'm not sure its exactly true, but it's a statement nonetheless.

EDIT:  SORRY XJ; I didn't see your tap until after I hit Send or whatever it is.

[Metro]

I’ve been off Twitter for 4 years now, but I remember that there was an account called something like “Kool-Aid Man Confessions” and it was the depressed ramblings of the Kool-Aid Man. The account was only around for maybe a week and I’m sure no one but me remembers it.

His last Tweet was “They’re going to kill me and make a new one”

The next day his account was gone.

[HOF]

Since Elon introduced the pay check and loosened the moderation, Twitter has really become a haven for redpillers, antivaxers, conspiracy theorists, and crypto-bros.

This may or may not be true. I certainly see more ads for crypto and the fact that anyone can have a check makes it easier to confuse conspiracy theorists for legitimate news sources. But it's still quite easy to avoid those sorts of topics altogether.

[XJDenton]

I tend to see a lot of right-wing nutjobs, but I follow a lot of people involved in left wing and "social justice" circles, and Warhammer 40k accounts, and they tend to be two groups who attract a lot of bozos in the replies unfortunately. If your twitter followings are primarily composed of accounts composed of less contentious topics then I can imagine your experience being more pleasant on average.

The quality of the ads has really gone downhill though. And coupled with the fact they are far less obvious now, alongside malicious decisions like hiding headlines from hyperlink posts, makes the overall user experience much shittier than it was a year ago. Alongside his decision to experiment with charging users, I'm not sure I'll have the stomach to stick around much longer, despite my desire to maintain my connections to certain people on the app.

[TAC]

I tend to see a lot of right-wing nutjobs, but I follow a lot of people involved in left wing and "social justice" circles,

Are you saying that right wingers are nut job and left wingers are "social justice" warriors?

[HOF]

I tend to see a lot of right-wing nutjobs, but I follow a lot of people involved in left wing and "social justice" circles, and Warhammer 40k accounts, and they tend to be two groups who attract a lot of bozos in the replies unfortunately. If your twitter followings are primarily composed of accounts composed of less contentious topics then I can imagine your experience being more pleasant on average.

The quality of the ads has really gone downhill though. And coupled wit the fact they are far less obvious now, alongside malicious decisions like hiding headlines from hyperlink posts, makes the overall user experience much shittier than it was a year ago. Alongside his decision to experiment with charging users, I'm not sure I'll have the stomach to stick around much longer, despite my desire to maintain my connections to certain people on the app.

The functionality of the site has definitely been degraded since he took over. Most changes have been for the worse for sure.

[cramx3]

I tend to see a lot of right-wing nutjobs, but I follow a lot of people involved in left wing and "social justice" circles, and Warhammer 40k accounts, and they tend to be two groups who attract a lot of bozos in the replies unfortunately. If your twitter followings are primarily composed of accounts composed of less contentious topics then I can imagine your experience being more pleasant on average.

The quality of the ads has really gone downhill though. And coupled wit the fact they are far less obvious now, alongside malicious decisions like hiding headlines from hyperlink posts, makes the overall user experience much shittier than it was a year ago. Alongside his decision to experiment with charging users, I'm not sure I'll have the stomach to stick around much longer, despite my desire to maintain my connections to certain people on the app.

The functionality of the site has definitely been degraded since he took over. Most changes have been for the worse for sure.

I even have issues with posting sometimes using the app on my phone.  It's weird how the basic functionality has gotten worse.

[XJDenton]

Are you saying that right wingers are nut job and left wingers are "social justice" warriors?

No, I'm saying that when (prominent) people on the left post things to twitter (particularly when the posts concern certain topics of "social justice" which tend to provoke strong responses), the nutjobs from the right tend to show up in their replies spewing crap. The reverse is also true to at least some extent; tankies and Stalinists tend to show up on certain topics, I've noticed.

I even have issues with posting sometimes using the app on my phone.  It's weird how the basic functionality has gotten worse.

Not that weird. Elon's twitter is haemorrhaging money and consequently he fired a lot of staff to keep costs down, while simultaneously implementing a lot of half-baked ideas and features on the live site without proper QA testing. Honestly I'm astonished the servers haven't burnt down already.

[TAC]

Are you saying that right wingers are nut job and left wingers are "social justice" warriors?

No, I'm saying that when people on the left post things to twitter (particularly when the posts concern certain topics of "social justice"), the nutjobs from the right tend to show up in their replies spewing crap. The reverse is also true to at least some extent; tankies and Stalinists tend to show up on certain topics, I've noticed.

Ok, because right wingers don't have a monopoly on nut jobs.

Just a comment. I won't take it further as it doesn't really belong in this thread.

[MirrorMask]

I even have issues with posting sometimes using the app on my phone.  It's weird how the basic functionality has gotten worse.

Not that weird. Elon's twitter is haemorrhaging money and consequently he fired a lot of staff to keep costs down, while simultaneously implementing a lot of half-baked ideas and features on the live site without proper QA testing. Honestly I'm astonished the servers haven't burnt down already.

So, can we narrow it down to either

1) he's doing it on purpouse because he wants to destroy Twitter for whatever petty reason went through his head
2) he's just grossly incompetent to the point that one should wonder who's actually responsible for his other successful eandeavors

or the jury's still out on that one?

[King Postwhore]

If you are knee dep into politics,  the algorithm will see nothing but both sides and the extremism from both.

Me, I don't dive in, and never see those posts. It's not that hard to figure out.

[XJDenton]

So, can we narrow it down to either

1) he's doing it on purpouse because he wants to destroy Twitter for whatever petty reason went through his head
2) he's just grossly incompetent to the point that one should wonder who's actually responsible for his other successful eandeavors

or the jury's still out on that one?

Why not both at this point?

[King Postwhore]

I just don't think you spend that much money to destroy a media outlet. That seems insane.

I just see it as incompetence.

[XJDenton]

I think the initial purchase was incompetence (given he made an offer as a joke which he was then held to against his will), but I could see him burning the place to the ground if he views its failure as an inevitability. He's proven he has the ability to be quite petty and emotion driven in the past.

[XJDenton]

Ok, because right wingers don't have a monopoly on nut jobs.

Just a comment. I won't take it further as it doesn't really belong in this thread.

Never said they did, but feel free to shoot me a PM if you have concerns.

[King Postwhore]

I think the initial purchase was incompetence (given he made an offer as a joke which he was then held to against his will), but I could see him burning the place to the ground if he views its failure as an inevitability. He's proven he has the ability to be quite petty and emotion driven in the past.

I think he wanted it initially,  but messed up and then forced to buy it.  That'd the real joke.

[cramx3]

I don't think he's purposely destroying it. I think that's just the outcome of his decisions. I think he just wants it to be a play ground shaped by his own rules and standards with his tweets being the most seen and valued.  I think he's full of himself basically and that's rubbed off onto the platform, which has turned a lot of people off. 

[Stadler]

Are you saying that right wingers are nut job and left wingers are "social justice" warriors?

No, I'm saying that when (prominent) people on the left post things to twitter (particularly when the posts concern certain topics of "social justice" which tend to provoke strong responses), the nutjobs from the right tend to show up in their replies spewing crap. The reverse is also true to at least some extent; tankies and Stalinists tend to show up on certain topics, I've noticed.

It's not "to some extent", though I don't know what a "tankie" is. It's at least the same extent.   I imagine it's all - or largely - attributable to the algorithm.  And some of it is worse, frankly, because it's irresponsible, but it's not so easily dismissible as "lunacy".  I keep getting these smarmy, smart-ass responses referring to Trump as "the orange blob" and calling for his immediate retention in jail; and these morons are CLUELESS that this is EXACTLY what they claim to hate the most about Trump (his name-calling and his supposed "facsism" by calling for Hillary to be put in jail). 

I've said this repeatedly; I'm not a Democrat, I'm a libertarian, but I can abide by the moderate Democrat position quite nicely.  I'd vote for Bill Clinton tomorrow, and more than once if I could, knowing what I know now.  And yet... the advocates of the Democratic Party couldn't be more distasteful to me.  I want nothing to do with them.  NOTHING.   They are - and of course I'm generalizing here - condescending, suprerior and duplicitous, and the thing is, if they are so damn fucking smart, how can they NOT see their role in this discord?   It's one of the reasons (And I've said this before) why I fought that Speaker issue so hard; YOU (the Democrats) are the ones screaming that we have to work together, and yet, you were the CATALYST for discord.  I get that they benefited politically, but so what?  Everyone else has to put their political wants aside to be "better" except for them?   Republicans are supposed to tell Trump to piss off and in effect give up their seats (and theoretically abdicate their majority in the House) because it's the "right thing to do" but Democrats aren't required to just TABLE the motion on McCarthy?  The upshot is that they could have STILL claimed the political victory by keeping a Speaker that some didn't want. They could have stuck it to Gaetz after all.  But no, they didn't and yet they're still so much (morally) better than we are.  Please. 

[XJDenton]

*Taps the sign*

[Stadler]

*Taps the sign*

But I'm responding to YOUR post!   No pass for that!?!?   

[lonestar]

 

[ProfessorPeart]

His big plan is revealing itself. After he agrees with and comments on an antisemitic tweet mixed with white replacement theory, the big advertisers are bailing and at least one asked why their adverts were adjacent to Nazi stuff.

Musk is a genius!

[cramx3]

His big plan is revealing itself. After he agrees with and comments on an antisemitic tweet mixed with white replacement theory, the big advertisers are bailing and at least one asked why their adverts were adjacent to Nazi stuff.

Musk is a genius!

I haven't paid too much attention to the details about the antisemetic stuff, but I did see Mark Cuban write something up directed at Musk regarding advertisers concerns.  it was really like a punch to Elons gut as it perfectly pinpointed how Elon was blaming the advertisers for leaving but the reality is, the advertisers aren't getting their money's worth on the twitter platform. Elon's business basically sucks so maybe he needs to look inwards instead of blaming those outside of his control.

[Lonk]

His big plan is revealing itself. After he agrees with and comments on an antisemitic tweet mixed with white replacement theory, the big advertisers are bailing and at least one asked why their adverts were adjacent to Nazi stuff.

Musk is a genius!

I'm sure a lot of you have seen his recent video telling advertisers to F* themselves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_M_uvDChJQ

[cramx3]

Yeah just going back to my response before yours, Elon blaming THEM 

[Anguyen92]

If advertisers are going to leave, because they don't want their brands on that platform, and that's on the platform to solve, not the advertisers.  Advertisers could leave Youtube if they feel like the stupid s*** people do on high-end Youtube channels may hurt their brand, which in turn could result in Youtubers receiving less money due to the lack of high-end ads on their videos.  You don't hear Google blaming the advertisers.  They would just do some correction on their guidelines and hope that results in advertisers wanting their ads on Youtube videos.  Sometimes, it would be an overcorrection though.....

[cramx3]

If advertisers are going to leave, because they don't want their brands on that platform, and that's on the platform to solve, not the advertisers.  Advertisers could leave Youtube if they feel like the stupid s*** people do on high-end Youtube channels may hurt their brand, which in turn could result in Youtubers receiving less money due to the lack of high-end ads on their videos.  You don't hear Google blaming the advertisers.  They would just do some correction on their guidelines and hope that results in advertisers wanting their ads on Youtube videos.  Sometimes, it would be an overcorrection though.....

Yeah.  Theres a push and pull constantly between social media and advertisers.  I think it's fair for a company to not want their ads run against something that they may feel is morally wrong. And because it happens, they pull back, and then the social media company changes their rules to prevent that from happening.  It happens time and time again.  Elon should understand this.  Does he think a Tesla commercial appearing in the middle of a pro ISIS youtube video a good look for Tesla?  Or does he think it's good to invest in advertising on a platform that isn't getting any return on that investment?  He's smarter than this.  Just continues to make me go back to his inflated ego.

[Lonk]

I used to admired Elon because of all he was doing for electric vehicles and space exploration. But the last 3-4 years I've grown to really dislike the guy, and I think part of it is just that, his inflated ego.

He knows how to run a business, and he knows that telling all these companies to F off, pretty much, will hurt not only twitter/X but Tesla and Space X as well, just because they are an extension of him. Honestly, I think he plateaued when it comes to electric vehicles (he might improve battery, but not sure there is much he can do to move the needle anymore). As for Space exploration, he still has a lot he wants to do, and I think he will continue to improve on that end mainly because of NASA.

[ProfessorPeart]

Yeah, seeing nothing but people posting they have canceled Disney+ and are signing up for full premium or whatever that gives them on Planet Elon. Much like Trump, he has these worshipers that blindly follow him and his word is gospel.

I don't get it.

[cramx3]

Yeah, seeing nothing but people posting they have canceled Disney+ and are signing up for full premium or whatever that gives them on Planet Elon. Much like Trump, he has these worshipers that blindly follow him and his word is gospel.

I don't get it.

There's a weird almost cult like following to him, but it's not that different than almost any other celebrity or popular person on the internet.  There's so many people who follow and almost worship someone and then they'll defend them non stop.  It's a very odd thing IMO that people feel the need to be so obsessive with someone else.  Elon definitely has a big following of that type of person.

[lonestar]

I mean, I worship Haraguchi-san, bassist of Nemophila, but at least she's cute af and can drop a sick fucking bass line...

[cramx3]

I mean, I worship Haraguchi-san, bassist of Nemophila, but at least she's cute af and can drop a sick fucking bass line...

I guess the question is, if she did something really stupid, would you defend her?  That's really where I was going with the level of worship some people have. 

[King Postwhore]

I watch what I want, I Tweet what I want.   I don't pay attention to any of this.  My life is so much better just scrolling on by.

[lonestar]

I mean, I worship Haraguchi-san, bassist of Nemophila, but at least she's cute af and can drop a sick fucking bass line...

I guess the question is, if she did something really stupid, would you defend her?  That's really where I was going with the level of worship some people have.

Defend her? No... forgiver her...probably...