Twitter: A Necessary Evil?
I hope you are sitting down, dear reader, because what I am about to tell you will shock you to your very core.
Yesterday someone said something extremely stupid on the internet. Not only was it stupid; it was wrong as well.
Actually, a LOT of people said some stupid shit but I am going to focus on the transparently idiotic words and ideas of a single jackass.
When Stephen King tweeted his aggravation at new Twitter owner Elon Musk’s plan to charge 20 dollars to hold onto a blue mark verification badge Musk proposed lowering the rate to eight dollars.
This led a number of folks who ostensibly should know better to express glee at the prospect of a man worth hundreds of millions balking at paying a twenty dollar fee.
King clarified that his objection had nothing to do with the modest sum of money involved and everything to do with principle.
One dolt on social media tweeted at King that he needed that blue mark in order to stay relevant and that without it no one would even know who he is, so he obviously would never actually leave Twitter.
It was such an egregiously wrong sentiment that I visited the man’s profile to make sure that it wasn’t an ironic bit or a gag. The staggeringly wrong half-wit in question seemed to otherwise tweet mostly about weed, so it didn’t seem like he was doing a character or a making a joke.
He was apparently sincere in his conviction that one of the most famous, successful and powerful writers in the history of western civilization would be forgotten if he wasn’t tweeting regularly.
The truth is that Twitter needs Stephen King more than he needs it. He would be just fine if he left Twitter. He might sell slightly fewer books and be less visible but he’s made enough money for a thousand lifetimes.
The people who would suffer from King leaving Twitter would be the countless less successful writers and artists whose work he has praised extensively, and the politicians and leaders he endorses.
I have a lot of respect for King because he is, if anything, excessively generous with his praise. And I can only imagine how exciting it must be to wake up in the morning and discover that the author of The Shining has recommended your novel to his millions of followers.
that or they think you’re a huge asshole and don’t trust him!
People dunked on the man’s impressively dense tweet because that’s the curdled essence of social media: some jackass says some dumb shit, then people compete to see who can make fun of it in the most witheringly witty way.
That’s the thing about Twitter. People aren’t on it because they love it and want Twitter to succeed. Instead, they’re on it because they feel like they have to be.
I’m sure King’s publicist is happy that he’s on Twitter, trending regularly, but he does not have to be. It’s an option that will help him sell even more books but he’ll be fine regardless.
I, on the other hand, cannot afford to not be on Twitter. For me it is a necessary evil. I need it to promote my books, my website and my podcast.
The question, consequently, is whether Musk buying Twitter represents a tipping point that will lead users who have been contemplating leaving Twitter for any number of reasons to actually pull the trigger and delete their accounts.
Will Twitter become even more of a cesspool with Musk in charge? Definitely.
Even Musk seems to hate Twitter. He bought it because the company more or less forced him to go through with the sale or risk an endless, expensive and very public legal battle.
Musk seems intent on remaking the site in his image. That should be cause for alarm for folks who don’t want it to turn into a slightly less racist and hateful version of Parler.
We all wish we could leave that hell site for good and now some of us can, thankfully. That unfortunately does not include me.
I have to remain active on what’s left of social media. It’s just one of the many compromises involved in just barely surviving in what increasingly looks like a hopelessly rigged, impossible game.
Buy The Weird A-Coloring to Al: Cynical Movie Cash-In Extended Edition at https://www.nathanrabin.com/shop, signed, for just 12 dollars, shipping and handling included OR twenty seven dollars for three signed copies AND a free pack of colored pencils, shipping and taxes included
Pre-order The Fractured Mirror, the Happy Place’s next book, a 600 page magnum opus about American films about American films illustrated by the great Felipe Sobreiro over at https://the-fractured-mirror.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders
The Joy of Trash, the Happy Place’s first non-"Weird Al” Yankovic-themed book is out! And it’s only 14.00, shipping, handling and taxes included, 25 bucks for two books, domestic only! https://www.nathanrabin.com/shop
Buy The Joy of Trash, The Weird Accordion to Al and the The Weird Accordion to Al in both paperback and hardcover and The Weird A-Coloring to Al and The Weird A-Coloring to Al: Colored-In Special Edition signed from me personally (recommended) over at https://www.nathanrabin.com/shop
Or you can buy The Joy of Trash here and The Weird A-Coloring to Al here and The Weird Accordion to Al here
Help ensure a future for the Happy Place during an uncertain era AND get sweet merch by pledging to the site’s Patreon account at https://www.patreon.com/nathanrabinshappyplace We just added a bunch of new tiers and merchandise AND a second daily blog just for patrons!
Alternately you can buy The Weird Accordion to Al, signed, for just 19.50, tax and shipping included, at the https://www.nathanrabin.com/shop or for more, unsigned, from Amazon here.
I make my living exclusively through book sales and Patreon so please support independent media and one man’s dream and kick in a shekel or two!