In a New York Times guest essay, Chris Hayes is an anchor for MSNBCHe claimed that all his worst fears about Elon Musk’s new Twitter platform management had been realized in less than a month.
Hayes stated that Musk had “courted some the worst trolls” and that he has scared away advertisers. He also claimed that he has cut back staff who handle basic functions of the platforms.
Hayes expressed concern that the platform might “break down and cease to work altogether” under Musk.
Chris Hayes, MSNBC’s “All In” host, has warned repeatedly about existential threats against democracy.
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Hayes began Hayes’ guest essay by describing Musk’s handling of TwitterAs a “near death experience,” it could be the end of Twitter. He wrote, “If Twitter survives — and I fervently hope it does — its near-death experience has revealed something fundamental about our online lives: the digital spaces of civic life, the ‘public town square’ as Mr. Musk deemed Twitter, have been privatized, to our collective detriment.”
He criticized the world’s richest man for taking the company private, contrary to the wishes of its previous owner, Jack Dorsey. He stated, “Before Mr. Musk purchased Twitter, its cofounder and former C.E.O. Jack Dorsey said of the platform that no one should own it, that it ‘wants to be a public good at a protocol level.’”
He also praised Twitter before Musk for being “an area where something akin the global discussion was taking place.” He said, “it was closest to executing the core vision for what the global square could look like.”
He continued, “That’s why there was so much apprehension when Mr. Musk bought the site: No one man should have all that power.”
Hayes then provided a blistering condemnation of Musk’s handling of the platform. He stated, “In less than a month almost all of my worst fears have come true.” Listing them, he said, “He has solicitously courted some of the worst trolls, sent advertisers fleeing in droves and cut the staff down so radically that simple functions like two-factor authentication have at times stopped working and there’s a risk it will simply break down and stop working altogether.”
DONALD TRUMP REACTS AFTER ELON MUSK RESTATES HIS TWITTER ACCOUNT. ENDING LIFETIME BAN
Chris Hayes has often warned about the dangers of democracy in America.
(MSNBC screenshot)
Hayes then gave a dismissive description of why Musk bought the platform, writing, “Mr. Musk bought Twitter because he’s a Twitter addict and, more specifically, an extremely online attention addict.”
Hayes continued to denigrate the billionaire, saying, “This is someone who has millions of followers, but is deep within the bowels his own replies, mentions, and clearly spends inordinate amount of time looking at the things people are saying about them.”
He added, “I can tell you from experience that this is a path to madness — though it’s a path that the design of Twitter and other social networks guides you gently down.”
Hayes claimed that after Musk’s purchase, “the site felt like a family saying its goodbyes to a beloved but deeply problematic uncle.” He also accused Musk “making the most.” Impulse purchase expensive in human history.”
Many on the left are sounding the alarm about Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover.
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“It’s fitting, in its own chaotic way,” he declared.
He concluded his essay on a negative note, “The world’s most successful capitalist, by at least one measure, has made the most definitive case for rejecting private ownership of the public sphere that we’ve seen in a very long time.” Musk was mocked by him, and he used his catchphrase to say: “Let it sink in.”
