Is it just a coincidence that my last blog post was on September 7, 2021, or serendipity? Two years. Yeah, I know. It’s been busy and I’m finding good engagement on LinkedIn and have been pondering the value of blogging, but I’ll write more on that later (the short answer is, yes, there’s value).
But I want to talk about Twitter. I refuse to call it X, for many reasons, so just hang with me on this.
Twitter Dumpster Fire
If you’ve been on Twitter since its change in ownership, you’ve obviously recognized the dumpster fire it has become. But like any bad relationship, I just haven’t been able to let it go.
Over the years I have cultivated relationships and curated lists on Twitter (and Tweetdeck, RIP) that deliver me the information and news that I seek. I just haven’t come to that point of acceptance that it’s over and that it might be time to delete my account, although I’ve been pulling away and flirting with other apps.
But I believe I am there now.
This past weekend the rise in anti-Semitism on Twitter has been furious. As a (culinary) Jew and as a human being, I just cannot stand by or just silently walk away.
Twitter: A Neighborhood of Broken Windows
For those not paying close attention, listen to Charlie Sykes’ interview with Will Saletan on this episode of The Bullwark Podcast starting around 43:43 for a full discussion on this topic, but this is what got me to stop in my tracks this morning:
The online world operates a lot like the offline world in the sense of Twitter has become a neighborhood with broken windows. And all of the anti-Semites and the racists have looked at it and see that the police have been removed, that is, all the folks who used to work at Twitter who kept an eye out for content like this, they are gone and [Elon] Musk doesn’t care. He has signaled that with everything that he says. So those folks have all moved in. They have recognized this as a good home so the entire site is becoming a crack den for anti-Semites and bigots of all kinds.
The Bullwark Podcast, Will Saletan: The Hammer Philosphy of Governing, 45:54
So, with that, I will move to download my Twitter history and deactivate (can you really delete it??) my personal accounts. In the meantime, make sure to follow or connect with me on LinkedIn for business-related posts and I’m thinking about keeping my Threads more social.
And, Zuck, is it too much to ask for Gifs, lists, and hashtags?