Greg Raley-BarrettJul 2, 2023
LiteralGrill

Hey folks, a gentle reminder to offer some kindness right now as appropriate.

I know folks are getting their laughs in with #twitterdown and the migration here and elsewhere happening extremely quickly once more. Just remember...

A ton of people are watching the communities they built crumble. Job stability for many people, particularly sex workers, artists, and other creatives are in extreme jeopardy. Some people who need crowdfunding to live are currently terrified of what happens next.

There are valid reasons to hate #twitter but remember to not be mean to people sad about its demise. There is an appropriate way to balance our reactions to this news.

Jul 2, 2023 at 3:52amWeb
Show threadKatie (She/Her)Jul 2, 2023
@literalgrill I felt the same thing with Reddit recently. SOO many communities just fell apart.
Show threadMichael TeeJul 2, 2023

@literalgrill I never liked what Elon was doing to #twitter. His recent actions to limit access has to be one of the dumbest things you can do to a social media platform. So, for such a smart guy to go down this path is extremely baffling.

However, the upshot to all this is the 'new adventure' that awaits us all on with other, lesser known social media alternatives that, I feel, could one day truly rival or ,even bury the blue bird for ever.

Show threadGrowth & ResilienceJul 2, 2023
@michaelti @literalgrill I agree with you. I tweeted out recently how twitter is a literal lifeline for most of us. I can't even tweet right now and it's frustrating. I feel so empty at this moment.
Show threadRiverGalJul 2, 2023
@Mysticcshadow @michaelti @literalgrill I can’t even see who I follow on Twitter since he started this new thing. Everything says “rate limit exceeded”.
Show threadtheurge14Jul 2, 2023
@literalgrill thank you for saying it like this
Show threadchampions of the universeJul 2, 2023
@literalgrill for anyone feeling sympathy for people who make their money primarily from places like twitter make sure you boost their content on any platform you use you see them on that isn't twitter. it's important for their ability to keep their jobs!!!!!!!!!
Show threadJamieGC 🏴 🏳️‍🌈 🖖Jul 2, 2023

@literalgrill Twitter was not only a great way to build an audience for creative endeavors and SW business, but it was an excellent tool for real time reporting of events.

I live in St. Louis metro, and I couldn't be involved in the 2014 Mike Brown/Ferguson protests, (though was extremely active during another local case in 2017, and then the national protests in 2020), but I could update people I knew outside the region, with as many local activists posting and livestreaming.

Destroying Twitter to keep it being used for that, may be the entire point.

Show threadThe Last of her NameJul 2, 2023
@literalgrill but are we sure its a demise this time?
Show threadWolf9466Jul 2, 2023
@literalgrill I respect the hell out of this post. While I want Twitter to burn due to Elon's awful changes, I recognize many people are seriously impacted. I mean, I mainly used Twitter to find art - so artists would be one group hit hard. Sex workers, as you said, as well...
Show threadFaceEatingKoalaJul 2, 2023
@literalgrill Yep, it's called popcorn. Find a new way to advertise or rediscover an old one. Fuck Musk.
Show threadSoozcatJul 2, 2023
@literalgrill There were ways in which Twitter was a hellhole. But many more ways in which it could be brilliant and helpful, and I miss that aspect of it and mourn it.
Show threadAxel FoleyJul 2, 2023
@literalgrill I find no comfort in the Twitter binfire, it saddens me that someone like Musk can totally destroy something like that so easily and apparently with zero remorse.
Show threadPamela EhnJul 2, 2023
@Roadwarrior29 @literalgrill he has remorse. Remorse for the money he lost. But he has so much money, he’s not going to learn lessons the rest of us would.
Show threadAlienKnightJul 2, 2023
@literalgrill I keep thinking about how suddenly outlinks to things that are used for journalism, and general web embeds are now suddenly all broken. A sudden loss of access. I know some people used Twitter as embeds for their art sites too. I don't like twitter, and sorta never have, but yeah, the hate towards the people who are only now moving away from it is quite frankly unacceptable and sad.
Show threadEnema CowboyJul 2, 2023
@linkeddev
I am glad that new people are here. I hope they stay and bring their friends.
@literalgrill @BlackAzizAnansi
Show threadAnnaJul 2, 2023

@literalgrill The line I've been making is:

It is OK to make fun of Apartheid Clyde and his absolute clownshoes behavior

It's not OK to make fun of people who are sad, hurt, and otherwise negatively affected by his actions

Punch up, you know?

Show threadJason MadridJul 2, 2023

@literalgrill

For the most part, I've kept my Twitter open under the assumption that I'd need it as a life raft for my mutuals. If Twitter goes down, I assume I'm going down with the ship (even if my account is completely inactive by the time it finally sinks).

Show threadMatteusBeus - Retro Sega DevJul 2, 2023
@literalgrill you make a really good point on the communities thing. I can't communicate with anyone in the retro game space via Twitter at the moment. Really sucks.
Show threadVaughan McAlleyJul 2, 2023
@literalgrill Elon’s awful. But the 11-years-worth of people I curated were awesome.
Show threadJamie MasonJul 2, 2023

@literalgrill

I started Twitter in 2019. The friends and connections I built on that app I've lost. Fuck Elon Musk, and I feel sad for those who suffered either income or social loss because of his pompous arrogance.

Jamie

Show threadDoreen32128 ready to rumble!Jul 2, 2023
@literalgrill All good points for sure! I was very active on the bird site for years. When Musk started ruining it, I came here. It’s a really hard habit to break! I still pop in and out of there but don’t post. Musk ruined a really good thing, but we are creating a new home here! We just need some heavy hitters from 🐦 site to come here!
Show threadRozzbozzyJul 2, 2023

@literalgrill
Indeed, I spent a couple of years building a great community and have now been marked as a "BOT" (no idea why LOL) and locked out of my account for nearly 24 hours now. Releasing a game in the next week and Twitter exposure was critical.

What really goads me is Elon's flippant attitude making jokes about it with out any thought for the stress and issues us "mortals" are suffering as a consequence.

Show threadDanielle Rose BakerJul 3, 2023
@literalgrill I appreciate your words. For me, Twitter was where I met a lot of my best space/science friends. Through Twitter I got to see one of the last space shuttle launches in person, at a NASA Tweetup, at the KSC press site. Twitter and the connections I made there literally changed my life. And now it's falling to bits and yes it's great fun to stomp on the embers but some of us are grieving. 😔