So many events and alignments happening right now, at a time when I’m so personally busy that I can’t fully write out the thoughts that I want to share about current goings on.
As one of the relative few who already saw through Musk, what he’s doing on the #birdsite doesn’t surprise me, but I am surprised at how quickly it’s turning.
There are important reasons I chose mastodon over other alternative “social” platforms and I hope to talk about that more soon.
That said…
/1
I am glad that so many others appear to have seen the same indicators, weighed the pros and cons, and saw the value of a more distributed model of social, as opposed to participating in yet another VC-funded app that is looking to build a brand & profit model, and then be sold.
Not that there is anything wrong with that - entrepreneurs are free to do what they like - but IMHO wallets should never vote for that again.
I’ve long said that…
/2
Social media as people know it today - platforms that seek to use algorithms to drive “engagement” in order to increase profit or revenue - will always, inevitably, amplify the voices of people who know how to manipulate other people, and trigger their basest instincts. And as a result, that model will always amplify and promote pathological behavior in our society.
In other words, a market-driven, algorithm-driven model is bad for society at large. Inevitably.
/3
We have been watching this play out for years (let’s not forget Facebook), but Musk’s recent actions are essentially a naked power grab over these mechanisms, and he doesn’t have the self control to be remotely subtle about what it is that he’s trying to do.
I’m not as shocked or depressed now as some are, because it isn’t surprising to me - but I also understand why so many are.
I still have a twitter account, and still share a bit there, but…
/4
In my opinion, since he has taken over the site, the best way to fight him is for everyone important to stop creating content there, and force the company into a no-win financial situation.
Let it devolve into the next alt-right swamp, and make him resort to taking ads from viagra and gold scams and MyPillow.
Sure, clarify the truth when it counts, but don’t create his content for him.
Let the world see what right wing platforms do.
They die.
/5
Unfortunately the site still has massive reach - which means all of the conspiratorial content it promotes will reach a lot of people. But I hope folks can now see that trying to challenge Musk with reasoned arguments is no more useful than reasoning with the former guy.
A narcissist now owns the #birdsite. The most responsible thing to do is not feed him - and let him destroy it.
You're right and there's more we can do to make that happen too.
It's telling that Musk has reversed some of the suspensions now. He recognizes he needs those Reporters. They drive the traffic.
My belief is that Musk wants to takeover a bigger slice of the internet than twitter. I'm not sure he's competent enough. I don't doubt he wants to add blockchain, crypto micropayments
We feel trapped but it's like not we can't create things too that people would like to use.
So it's exactly your point.
Musk's hold on things is a lot smaller than people envision. It's the power we give him that matters.
We can create shared spaces, communities and websites that still allow people to be informed, allow them to organize, and allow them to have healthy and fulling engagement between users and not be toxic hell holes.
The only thing is I'm not so sure Musk thinks he needs us. I think he might just want the far right to be his audience.
I can't say I know for sure what he wants but I have my ideas and what you mention could show the disconnect between what he might want to do and what he can accomplish given he's bleeding cash. I could be wrong.
I think we can learn more based on how much he's willing to pour in and if anyone else steps up to help him.
I think he definitely wants a loyal right wing base and they're the target group for pushing web3/crypto especially if they believe it "owns the libs"
ClearingTheFog 
Olav
noonan