And then, there's this thread, from a Jewish man's perspective.
https://twitter.com/Yair_Rosenberg/status/1587447462691758081
Basically, as I've been saying for a couple of weeks, staying on Twitter or leaving is a personal choice, influenced by myriad considerations. But shaming people into staying or leaving is not a good look, no matter how noble the examples.
@LiberalLibrarian that was my take. I am not trying to build a following here, I just need an outlet for sharing my thoughts during this very isolating time
@LiberalLibrarian I agree with her. I don’t think you’re fighting racism by staying on a platform that promotes racism—you’re helping a racist make money.
@LiberalLibrarian The funny thing is that I ended my Twitter account (of almost 12 years) about a month ago. Not because of Musk but because of Twitter's own corruption and bias. I just couldn't in good conscience be a part of their community anymore. 🤣
@LiberalLibrarian If someone wants to stay or leave, it's not really something I'm going to waste neurons on.
There are bigger fish to fry.
Personally, I'm not doing it because I don't want to give Musk the satisfaction - not that he'll notice a peon like me.
@LiberalLibrarian Speaking personally, I'm likely to have one foot in both sites for a while at least, until and unless the rest of my friends make the switch.
@AbelUndercity I still have my account. Use it mostly for DMs.
@AbelUndercity @LiberalLibrarian Me too, I'd like to be on both. I noticed that Black twitter is generally staying for now so I appreciate Tim's comments in that way as great people I follow have said similar. But I also feel like people should do whatever the heck they want and it's not for me to judge.
@LiberalLibrarian I'm staying for now because of the community I've built over the years. I'm trying to convince them to come over here and escape the bs.
@LiberalLibrarian I was going to stay but my mouth got the better of me again… they say 🤔. I was out after the election anyway. Musk makes my skin crawl and no good is coming from this switch up
@LiberalLibrarian This assumes that they thing you're "leaving" is something vital and important. I'm not sure that Twitter is. There are plenty of other spaces and places to do the work of informing society that don't profit a damn fascist. The work matters, that it does or doesn't happen on twitter does not.
You can't "leave" your government. You sure as **** can leave a social media site.
@LiberalLibrarian yeah the idea that the main fight for black equality is on social media is a huge part of the problem in my opinion. The main fight is in real life.
@LiberalLibrarian I think the demonetization process starts with the huge and well known accounts leaving first which is why I didn't delete my alt there.
Normies with ten followers individually won't do much compared to a few mega-accounts leaving, but normies leaving by the thousands to follow content and legitimate journalists will 😎
@LiberalLibrarian
Oh boy. Strongly disagree with Tim Wise. Holy hell.
Twitter isn’t America. It’s a privately owned entity. Owned by a mothereffin’ boy monster that may boot you out on a whim.
How can smart people get this so wrong?
They see the fight for human dignity, human rights, as the same fight to keep a Hell Scape alive & profitable?
I read it as-
“The warden gives me a bullhorn and yard access so I can inform other prisoners just how awful they are.”
…but the gate is unlocked
@Anouk @LiberalLibrarian yes! Exactly.
@Anouk @LiberalLibrarian I can't see the link right now as I block off most social media for part of the workday, but I'll comment anyway. I have found that cishet white men, even those we might otherwise like and admire, simply do not understand how awful and toxic Twitter has been toward the rest of us and how many of us were already at our breaking point with it.
@Anouk @LiberalLibrarian Those who want to stay are welcome to it, but the idea that they can win by doing so does not resonate with me.
The bad guy bought the bird app. There's nothing we can do about that.
@CheekyGinger @LiberalLibrarian
Bingo.
They’ll be the last to leave. The least harassed.
@Anouk @LiberalLibrarian Yep. And listen, frankly, they contribute to it for women, even the "good guys." I've seen Tim Wise do it specifically.
Misogyny is so underrecognized.
@CheekyGinger @Anouk @LiberalLibrarian
People who have a stake in the Bird, like a large follower base, are reluctant to give it up, and are far too apt to equate their personal good with the public good.
@DavidSalo @CheekyGinger @Anouk @LiberalLibrarian I understand that entirely. It's a huge investment of personal time that is banked in it and one assumes that in the tens thousands of posts one has contributed thoughts of value: for historic record, for the benefit of any who may still view or review them etc..
@CheekyGinger @Anouk @LiberalLibrarian
"Cishet white men" exactly.
They, in general, have never had to maneuver their own protection and safety.
Yep, I'm a Gen-X white person, but I'm a whole lot of at risk from bad actors and so are my kids.
I'm not going to contribute to the coffers of people who want them, and me, dead.
@CheekyGinger @Anouk @LiberalLibrarian
Also it's incredibly presumptuous to assume that those who have left aren't continuing to be vocal elsewhere.
@LiberalLibrarian
I had the pleasure of hearing Tim Wise speak at my kiddo's high school about five years back. I think people here would be receptive to his message.
I can see how Twitter Somebodies can help the cause of battling systemic racism by sticking around Twitter. It's a bit of a different story for Twitter Nobodies, I think. (To clarify, I was solidly in this latter camp.)
Honestly, I find the idea that there's some bravery or necessity involved in staying on Twitter misguided.
True, there are not yet strong communities of minorities here or on any other platform, really.
But Twitter is optional. And I'm not convinced (based on the commentary by multiple Black video essayists) that it's a net *good* for any group, including "Black Twitter".
@LiberalLibrarian I get the point, but twitter is a money making entity, not a true public forum. In the end, users are the product and their information is sold to advertisers. If they have fewer accounts, they lose money. Something else, *coughs* #coso, will take its place.
@WanderingDabbit Exactly. This idea that you have to fight to "save" Twitter is odd. Twitter isn't owned by users. It's owned by a crazed billionaire. What's there to "save"? You have a voice there on sufferance.
@LiberalLibrarian what's funny is that it isn't lost on me that I can't actually post this on Twitter....
@WanderingDabbit Of course not. Not because Eelon will ban you, but because you'll get righteous anger for not "fighting". It's a self-enforcing belief.
And then there's this response: