Billionaires wouldn’t be in most of the positions they are in if they actually kept their mouth shut. I’ve said this a lot of times. I don’t know how many times, though. But I’m willing to bet I’ve said it the most between November 2022 and November 2023. Mainly because the current owner of Twitter just won’t shut up.
Advertisers should fuck themselves
Musky Musk, who finds himself on the losing end of $75 million dollars for supporting and promoting companies near white supremacist content, was interviewed on Wednesday. It was for New York Times’ DealBook event. Now, if there was a time to set the record straight, this would be a good one. And I guess he did.
When he was asked how Twitter was going to win advertisers back, Musk exclaimed, “I hope they stop. Don’t advertise.” He equated the advertisers pulling out to them trying to “blackmail me with money.” He finished it off with “Go fuck yourself. Is that clear? I hope it is.”
He apparently even antagonized the CEO of Disney, Bob Iger, who had come on later in the event and explained why he removed ads from Twitter. I mean, if that wasn’t apparent earlier, might as well explain it.
It was also reported that Twitter’s CEO Linda Yaccarino was “stone-faced” during the rant in the front row. She has since broken her silence on the matter.
Elon’s interview was candid and profound. He shared an unmatched and completely unvarnished perspective and vision for the future. If you haven’t watched it, please take the time to absorb the magnitude and importance of what we’re all a part of.”
Excerpt from memo written by Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino, published by CNBC
She later mentions that “our principles do not have a price tag”. Well, I’ll say. You can’t put a price tag on something that doesn’t really exist.
The sinking ship
It really seems odd when a company who’s sole objective is to make profit decides that’s not what it wants to do anymore. You also can’t blame the people who were giving you money for the problems you are facing.
What really strikes me about all this is that they are willing to go to bat for people on the platform who will spew white nationalist, anti-semitic, islamaphobic, transphobic, anti-lgbt, racist crap. However, when it comes to finding support against those ideologies, posts and accounts get removed. “Cisgender” gets banned.
You can’t say that you are for free speech when you are suppressing any speech. That includes the voices that are critical to those you support.
I’m at a point now where people have had over a year to make a decision. During the first year of all this, people stated they couldn’t leave because of communities. I’ll admit, I was loud at the beginning, but I let them cook. But the landscape didn’t get better. Alternatives came and gave folks an opportunity to abandon that sinking ship.
A year in, I’m reminded of this line Phyllis gave on The Office.
Oh, if they don’t have an iPod by now they really don’t want one.”
Phyllis Vance, The Office
If people wanted to divest, they would have by now. If they choose to stay after this, they’ve made their choice to continue supporting this man. They chose to go down with the ship.
And I don’t think any lifeboats are coming to save them.
Sources: Engadget, Ars Technica
