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Elon Musk to join Twitter’s board of directors

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Re: Elon Musk to join Twitter’s board of directors

#641

Is there a law akin to Godwin's or Sturgeon's about all social media trending toward some failure state? Several years ago I deleted all my FB content and then disabled my account. Looks like it's time to do that with my Twitter account now.

All communication media are eventually subsumed by chain letters and spam.

Re: Elon Musk to join Twitter’s board of directors

#642
post #195

I find this to be incredible news. I used to think Elon-hype was stupid, but both (a) his achievements and (b) his mind have gotten me to be an admirer. Re (a) achievements, the man has basically bootstrapped space travel and electric vehicles. Seems like a big deal. Yes, I know it's more nuanced than that, but you get the point. Can you name someone else who broke through two fundamentally stalled/deadlocked industr…

He is never really challenged with uncomfortable\difficult questions on his interviews. The one time I recall he was asked an uncomfortable question he threatened to end the interview.

[1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYOI8h9-uXs

I cannot find the complete interview on YouTube unfortunately.

In this other interview, I am disappointed at how she didn't even push on some of his answers, for example when talking about his "rabid fan base". You just need to look at this thread for proof.

[2]:https://youtu.be/sM9RyZT0Rrg?t=219

Also, she is not as technically informed about the mistakes his companies made. Would love someone to challenge him on the obvious mistakes he has made with Tesla that everyone else in the industry were adamant would be failures. Things such as the "Alien Dreadnaught" were repeats of documented mistakes that GM and Ford made back in the 80s. Even technical interviewers always gush over him about how amazing he is and never challenge him. They all just don't want to lose access.

Re: Elon Musk to join Twitter’s board of directors

#643
post #576

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's what makes all of this so ironic to me. Social media platforms and their users (especially Facebook) are not left-leaning. That a vast majority of Twitter users feel he will improve it means that the bias is fictional.

I don't know how you got that sentiment from that graphic, which doesn't have jack shit to do with political affiliation. I will put $100 down right now that if you did a statistically significant, unbiased, controlled, representative sample of verified Twitter users - as in people you can provably show are actual human beings - you'll find the majority are left-leaning. Oh wait, I don't have to, Pew Research Group a…

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Re: Elon Musk to join Twitter’s board of directors

#644

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Those are just polite words. Why does a critic make Twitter stronger? And why is that needed?

A good critic points out flaws to fix. With fewer flaws the company is healthier.

The implicit assumption being that Musk is a good critic of what is wrong with Twitter. I'm not sold on that assumption.

Re: Elon Musk to join Twitter’s board of directors

#645
post #568

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Outside of the SV bubble people have actual lives that don't resolve around tech companies. Until someone shows actual evidence with real numbers behind it it's hard to take the whole "people don't realize how much people do or think X" seriously.

As someone who lives in the midwest, very disconnected from the SV bubble, this is spot on. I know several conservative-minded people that absolutely care about the censorship and policies SV companies push and despise them for it.

I also live in the midwest, and literally no one I know (family or friends) outside of the tech industry cares at all about this. I'm sure that means my bubble is a bubble- but again, until I see real numbers either way this just looks like people pushing a narrative and using imaginary people to do it.

Re: Elon Musk to join Twitter’s board of directors

#646

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Everyone is political. But “woke” people are like the old Christian right. They’re willing to use their control of institutions to prosthelytize their ideology in a way that ordinary liberals or conservatives aren’t.

it's not that woke people control the institutions - it's that companies see that they can run successful PR and marketing campaigns by espousing progressive values. Their boards don't give two shits about progressive values, but flying a rainbow flag during pride month doesn't require that they do anything, while gaining praise from liberals and criticism from conservatives, both of which are coverage/press.

In addition to this, white collar workers are going to align a little more left and it makes them feel better if the company isn't cheering for gays to be lynched or whatever. It's generally easier to hire for highly educated positions if you appear mildly woke, even if you do absolutely nothing to that end.

Re: Elon Musk to join Twitter’s board of directors

#647

I wonder if this changes anything about the SEC ruling limiting what Musk can do on social media.

"What's your problem SEC? I can't buy a social media co and then say whatever I want on it, whenever I want? I thought this was 'merica", might plausibly be one of his defenses against any charges of market manipulation and what are they going to do, the SEC, since they have proved time and again how toothless they are? Extremely powerful people do extremely stupid things. Examples: - Trump ("Charge the White house!"…

Calls to violence are explicitly not included in free speech.

The problem is actually the unevenness of policies.

An example that annoyed me recently: the video ad for /JeremysRazors is hidden behind a "potentially sensitive content" warning (it's not), but Twitter search "razors" and be prepared to see (without any warning) disgusting images of people cutting themselves.

The Kremlin (and CCP) are verified and tweeting, whilst the BabylonBee (and Trump) are banned. Lunacy.

Re: Elon Musk to join Twitter’s board of directors

#648

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone who lives in the midwest, very disconnected from the SV bubble, this is spot on. I know several conservative-minded people that absolutely care about the censorship and policies SV companies push and despise them for it.

Facebook, for better or for worse, is a really central piece of infrastructure for civic society all across the country nowdays — it's used to organize churches, meetup groups, neighborhood parties, restaurants, festivals, etc. People care because censorship does affect how they build their real lives.

> Facebook, for better or for worse, is a really central piece of infrastructure for civic society all across the country nowdays — it's used to organize churches, meetup groups, neighborhood parties, restaurants, festivals, etc.

This may be true, but how many people in those church groups, meetup groups, etc are actually concerned about censorship? In my experience far more of them are worried about harassment- I know far more women who can't use social media because of their stalkers than I do people who were kicked out of social media for having bad opinions.

Re: Elon Musk to join Twitter’s board of directors

#649

Earlier quoted context omitted.

ADS data is public. Just because a Twitter bot puts it in a nice easy to digest format doesn't mean the data isn't out there, and there's nothing Elon or really anyone can do about it. It is trivial to track a plane if you have its tail number and Elon only flies on a small number of jets. And, no, by "shield himself from the consequences of his activities", I mean things like calling someone a pedophile on Twitter.…

Voter registrations make people's home addresses public information (in many states) but posting that on Twitter violates their doxxing rules.

Doxxing is very specific-- you are revealing the link between the pseudonymous account and the holder. Elon Musk is a public figure, and posts under his own account.

Additionally, a jet plane, whether private or public, does not have any rights. You cannot "doxx" an airplane. Aside from the practical benefits that ADS-B provides, the public nature of it holds everyone accountable.

Re: Elon Musk to join Twitter’s board of directors

#650
post #322

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd say there's a mixed reaction on HN. I think he's kinda cool with the 0-60 in 2 secs cars and trying to make mankind multiplanetary but the haters seem much more inclined to post. It seems a little contrary to the - Have curious conversation; .... Please don't sneer... guidelines. A lot of sneering going on when Musk gets a mention.

I'm in a similar boat. I like what he's achieved with SpaceX, Tesla and Starlink. I don't like his views on trans people (which are ironic, considering he named his droneships after Culture Minds), as well as his inflammatory character. Art vs. Artist and all that.

What are his views on trans people?
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