Elon Musk buys and ruins Twitter

[BrianW]

I'm not naive enough to think any country is perfect. They all have their own unique issues.

Britain is in a particularly bad place, due largely to the follies of our politicians and the ignorance of our voters. I fear that if we are not careful, we shall end up in a far worse place. Because we have here a greedy capitalist clique with only one interest - self enrichment They do not give a flying one for the welfare of the general public, or the good of the country. They just want to increase what is already an obscene share of national wealth.

The only way forward - the only way that is good for 98% of us - is patience, persistence and a refusal to listen to magic bean salesmen who claim that we can sort everything by destroying public services and making the rich even richer. You may call that gloom. I call it realism.

 

[Rory Bluelow]

Returning the thread to the subject of Musk, even the haters (more of that later) must see him as a remarkable man, given what he’s achieved is just staggering. Starlink, Space X, Tesla, PayPal. (I’ve omitted Twitter) People like Musk change the world and his achievements speak for themselves. Is he likeable…no - not especially; although we mostly see him through the lens of the media (we know from their treatment of City you don’t always get a fair shake from those fuckers). The likes of Musk will do more for Climate Change than a thousand Gretas or Ed Millibands. He is a natural disruptive force of nature - and those people bring about change. Essential - given we’re supposed to be in a crisis.
He’s managed to garner hatred from the Never-Trumpers, UK Labour supporters, the Nigel Faragists, the thousands he fired at Twitter, the many more thousands likely to be fired in the US “State”, the Trans lobby…it’s a long and varied list. Great Leaders, be they in politics, in thought-leadership, industry, business and commerce, science are very rarely “nice” people - if people see them as nice, it’s usually down to either effective PR or simply lack of knowledge. There may be exceptions but I’d say not many. Ghandhi for example was believed to be a paedophile; Mother Theresa’s now thought to be a bit of a twat.
I don’t agree with everything Musk says by a very long chalk, but I do support free speech (within the boundaries of the law) and SOME of the things he says, need to be said. I don’t think he really believes Jess Phillips should go to gaol, it’s just hyperbole. I’m not going to support Tommy Robinson because Musk thinks he’s a “political prisoner” either. I’m not going to vote or not vote for Nigel Farage because of anything Musk says.
But I’m not a hater and I am in awe of his achievements, especially in space travel where he’s achieved so much in such a short time. Almost as much as the collection of Nazis (potentially-War Criminals) rounded up by the Yanks after the war and spirited them away to kick-start their space program.

 

[hcblue95]

The thing you miss is economically the US did very well under Trump. That's why he got elected again. Most US voters just ignore his twitter rants.

Have you got any evidence to back up your claim that economically the US did very well under Trump and that's why he got elected again?

 

[hilts]

Ostriches with their heads in the sand springs to mind, let's just carry on with the same two political parties who have run the country into the ground over decades.

You have a very good point there although a reform govt.is certainly not the answer.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

Is he likeable…no - not especially; although we mostly see him through the lens of the media.

Great Leaders, be they in politics, in thought-leadership, industry, business and commerce, science are very rarely “nice” people - if people see them as nice, it’s usually down to either effective PR or simply lack of knowledge.

I really despise how moral failings are justified in this day and age by blaming the media and blithely rationaliz(s)ing that the great are rarely good.

And as usual, the words "venture capital boom" are never once included in a post about how he's accomplished what he has.

 

[ballbag]

I really despise how moral failings are justified in this day and age by blaming the media and blithely rationaliz(s)ing that the great are rarely good.

And as usual, the words "venture capital boom" are never once included in a post about how he's accomplished what he has.

No. It was all him and his awesome, superior brain. He came up with all of it.

 

[Stiff Little Wingers]

I'm not naive enough to think any country is perfect. They all have their own unique issues.

Britain is in a particularly bad place, due largely to the follies of our politicians and the ignorance of our voters. I fear that if we are not careful, we shall end up in a far worse place. Because we have here a greedy capitalist clique with only one interest - self enrichment They do not give a flying one for the welfare of the general public, or the good of the country. They just want to increase what is already an obscene share of national wealth.

The only way forward - the only way that is good for 98% of us - is patience, persistence and a refusal to listen to magic bean salesmen who claim that we can sort everything by destroying public services and making the rich even richer. You may call that gloom. I call it realism.

Trouble is the public keep on voting in "a greedy capitalist clique with only one interest - self enrichment They do not give a flying one for the welfare of the general public, or the good of the country. They just want to increase what is already an obscene share of national wealth."

 

[hilts]

Like I said it's a long haul. There are no magic solutions. What part of that do you not understand?

I am too old and too fucked to go anywhere. But if I were younger, I'll you where I wouldn't go. The USofA. Unless I was a selfish billionaire. Then I might think about it.

If I were younger and had good language skills, I'd be tempted by Scandinavia. They are closest to my ideal social system and have not, so far, succumbed to the disastrous (so-called) free market, low taxation delusion that appeals to so many in this country. The snag is, thanks to fucking Brexit, I'd need a visa.

So you want people who have waited decades to wait more decades to get exactly the same result.

You would prefer a more scandavian model but think we should just give those unwilling to change time to.............

Not do it.

Genius

 

[Stiff Little Wingers]

Returning the thread to the subject of Musk, even the haters (more of that later) must see him as a remarkable man, given what he’s achieved is just staggering. Starlink, Space X, Tesla, PayPal. (I’ve omitted Twitter) People like Musk change the world and his achievements speak for themselves. Is he likeable…no - not especially; although we mostly see him through the lens of the media (we know from their treatment of City you don’t always get a fair shake from those fuckers). The likes of Musk will do more for Climate Change than a thousand Gretas or Ed Millibands. He is a natural disruptive force of nature - and those people bring about change. Essential - given we’re supposed to be in a crisis.
He’s managed to garner hatred from the Never-Trumpers, UK Labour supporters, the Nigel Faragists, the thousands he fired at Twitter, the many more thousands likely to be fired in the US “State”, the Trans lobby…it’s a long and varied list. Great Leaders, be they in politics, in thought-leadership, industry, business and commerce, science are very rarely “nice” people - if people see them as nice, it’s usually down to either effective PR or simply lack of knowledge. There may be exceptions but I’d say not many. Ghandhi for example was believed to be a paedophile; Mother Theresa’s now thought to be a bit of a twat.
I don’t agree with everything Musk says by a very long chalk, but I do support free speech (within the boundaries of the law) and SOME of the things he says, need to be said. I don’t think he really believes Jess Phillips should go to gaol, it’s just hyperbole. I’m not going to support Tommy Robinson because Musk thinks he’s a “political prisoner” either. I’m not going to vote or not vote for Nigel Farage because of anything Musk says.
But I’m not a hater and I am in awe of his achievements, especially in space travel where he’s achieved so much in such a short time. Almost as much as the collection of Nazis (potentially-War Criminals) rounded up by the Yanks after the war and spirited them away to kick-start their space program.

what on earth has Musk achieved that has benefitted anyone except for himself and his cronies? Sure, he has created some jobs no doubt but so have many others. When you say "some of the things he says, need to be said" - no they don't I'm afraid. Because they are utter shit.

 

[west didsblue]

True, but not as good as Trump in the view of many Americans

Biden got the blame for inflation in 2022 which was a direct result of the pandemic and was a global phenomenon. It was much worse in the UK due to the incompetence of Johnson and Truss, however Biden didn’t get any credit for it being not as bad as in Britain and most other countries, just got the blame for a few staples like eggs being very expensive. The Republicans were much more effective at getting the message out that the high cost of living was Biden’s fault and things will be much better under them. And the dems failed to get the message out that the US was by far the best performing major economy in the world over the last 4 years.

Basing economic performance on people’s opinion is like basing who is the best football team on fans’ opinions without looking at the league table, and sadly far too many people aren’t objective and treat their political allegiance in the same way as how they decide which sports team to support.