@mmasnick I wonder if he may even be sincerely convinced that paid-for votes or visibility are a means of democratization. maybe he just is not able to fathom that anyone could lack the means to participate that way. the rich kid kind of thinking, because they never ever meet anyone who is not also rich, so they grow up to think of this as the default. so poverty has to be one's own fault. just eat less avocado toast. buy fewer cars. just stop being poor. and pay for twitter blue.