Twitter is the world’s most destructive social media application.
It presents itself as an equalizer, a platform where an average person anywhere can have as much of a platform and voice as the president of the United States, or the richest person in the world, but of course this is a lie.
Prestige and attention in the real world is reflected on the platform, meaning that inequalities in status and power are mirrored and even magnified, with the top accounts all politicians, journalists, and celebrities who essentially use the platform as a centralized elite clearing house reducing the cost of making their public pronouncements.
What’s worse is that aspect of democratization that allows everyone the same voice is that twitter acts as a centrifuge for extremist views: moderate views are uninteresting, but provocative and radical “takes” or stances on issues get the most attention, and therefore promotion, meaning that some of the average joe stars of twitter are often provocateurs and the worst brands of extremists. The primary qualification, as Elon Musk and Donald Trump are testaments to, is not being eloquent or having well thought out ideas, but rather being quippy and being able to generate massive controversy.
Social media, with its word limitations, algorithms, and profiteering contests for attention, is not an appropriate platform for delicate discussions on politics or policy, and yet the most anti-social among us intent to use twitter towards exactly that aim, indirectly polarizing and provoking our worst instincts in the process of advertising their own personal brands showcasing the worst of humanity. Thus, instead it turns into celebrities arguing in short spurts, with desperate clingers on jumping on their coattails in an attempt to steal some limelight.
Now that Elon Musk, one of the biggest trolls not only on social media but of public discourse in general, the CEO of hollow hype, plans to abandon his overvalued and ailing electric car brand to supposedly turn twitter into a wechat inspired “all in one app,” an anti-trust regulators wet dream, the rational amongst us should admit that twitter’s run is over.
Average people should stop buying into twitter, a clubhouse for elites that at best functions as a free advertising service and at worst promotes conspiracy theories, political extremism and violence, and psychosocial disorders.
This was never more true than now, a time when every user of twitter will now be helping to enrich Elon Musk, an enemy to American values and supporter of its enemies, a megalomaniacal accused sex offender who has now publicly supported Russia’s annexation of Eastern Ukraine, as well as publicly supporting Chinese annexation of Taiwan.
On the day Elon Musk takes over twitter, even if you’re too afraid to delete your account (because you can’t stand to give up all of your hard earned followers), tweet that you will not be using the service again until Elon Musk has been removed from management of the company, and then log out in hope that that day comes soon.