Breakingviews: Elon Musk probably won’t buy Twitter

[trouble13]

If you say so. Thinking there’s propaganda everywhere must be a scary place to be. I am sorry.

Everyone has an agenda to push.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Everyone has an agenda to push.

That certainly seems to be US society over the last five years or so. I miss the old days.

 

[Cardinal]

Progressives are trying everything to stop Musk from pissing in their playground. I wonder what they will try next.

Why are you trying to stop Reuters from posting opinion articles?

 

[Cardinal]

Anyway, I find the argument about Apple and the EU’s restrictions to be the most compelling. If Musk doesn’t keep current moderation policies in place, Twitter could be banned by to the point that Twitter’s value would shrink catastrophically.

You also see this kind of acknowledgment of reality in another claim he made. Without current moderation policies, Twitter would sink into a right wing Nazi hell hole and advertisers would flee the platform. “Fine,” Musk says, “then it’ll be a paid subscription service.” Although this doesn’t actually solve the same problem, you can see Musk trying to work his head around the core problem.

His problem is that Twitter is as popular and successful as it is because of the things he wants to change about it. If he changes the structure of Twitter, then he necessarily destroys it. And then Twitter stops being the “public square” he so loves about it. And what is the point of conquering a kingdom if all you rule over is a graveyard?

For an in-depth explanation for the foundational problems Musk will encounter if/when he takes over, here is an extremely insightful thread by the ex-CEO of Reddit.

 

[Hypothetical]

its no stupid, its just a question of whether he wants to rock the boat or make serious tidal waves. He has definitely rocked the boat already.

he can spend a billion or so to do that without a problem.

 

[Cardinal]

its no stupid, its just a question of whether he wants to rock the boat or make serious tidal waves. He has definitely rocked the boat already.

he can spend a billion or so to do that without a problem.

It sounds like you’ve put a lot of thought into this issue.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Anyway, I find the argument about Apple and the EU’s restrictions to be the most compelling. If Musk doesn’t keep current moderation policies in place, Twitter could be banned by to the point that Twitter’s value would shrink catastrophically.

You also see this kind of acknowledgment of reality in another claim he made. Without current moderation policies, Twitter would sink into a right wing Nazi hell hole and advertisers would flee the platform. “Fine,” Musk says, “then it’ll be a paid subscription service.” Although this doesn’t actually solve the same problem, you can see Musk trying to work his head around the core problem.

His problem is that Twitter is as popular and successful as it is because of the things he wants to change about it. If he changes the structure of Twitter, then he necessarily destroys it. And then Twitter stops being the “public square” he so loves about it. And what is the point of conquering a kingdom if all you rule over is a graveyard?

For an in-depth explanation for the foundational problems Musk will encounter if/when he takes over, here is an extremely insightful thread by the ex-CEO of Reddit.

So you’re thinking he might be twitter’s Ozymandias. Interesting thought.

 

[Cardinal]

So you’re thinking he might be twitter’s Ozymandias. Interesting thought.

If he follows through on his stated goals? Seems kind of inevitable once you dig into it.

Of course, conservatives can’t grasp these problems because the only way they’re able to frame this issue is “Liberal tears?”

 

[Hypothetical]

If he follows through on his stated goals? Seems kind of inevitable once you dig into it.

Of course, conservatives can’t grasp these problems because the only way they’re able to frame this issue is “Liberal tears?”

well, to be fair that was how the whole twitter banning opinions they don;t like was treated by progressives to us, since it started happening.

 

[SCrider]

A random Reuters article is “trying something”?

In what sense?

Random article speaks for all progressives.......

 

[Cardinal]

well, to be fair that was how the whole twitter banning opinions they don;t like was treated by progressives to us, since it started happening.

Starting the weekend early?

 

[Hypothetical]

Starting the weekend early?

just pointing out the truth.

 

[Cardinal]

just pointing out the truth.

Well, I can't tell from your post what that "truth" was supposed to be, but I'm sure it made sense in your head.

 

[Hypothetical]

Well, I can't tell from your post what that "truth" was supposed to be, but I'm sure it made sense in your head.

progressives told conservatives to cry a river when twitter started banning opinions they did not like, so a bit hypocritical to come down on conservatives for that now.

can you understand that?

 

[Cardinal]

progressives told conservatives to cry a river when twitter started banning opinions they did not like, so a bit hypocritical to come down on conservatives for that now.

can you understand that?

I can decipher a basic persecution-complex theme in your post, which means that you don't understand the issue. Read Yishan Wong's explanation that I linked to in post 29 and you'll get it.

 

[Mr Person]

Progressives are trying everything to stop Musk from pissing in their playground. I wonder what they will try next.

A random Reuters article is “trying something”?

In what sense?

They are floating the idea that he should back out of the deal

So a random article is “they” then?

I’m just trying to understand your reasoning here.

He doesn't do reasoning.

It's just the standard Trumpist idiocy: call something a "progressive", make up some silly shit about what it is doing, pretend that every other person called "progressive" is personally responsible for the thing and even in on some grand conspiracy to do it. Rinse, repeat.

 

[poweRob]

He is really that stupid. Musk is the apex of the brilliant inventor who's very very bad at business.

He doesn't really invent. Tesla was already a company and he worked himself onto the board and pretty much bullied out those who disagreed with him.

History of Tesla, Inc. - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Tesla was founded (as Tesla Motors) on July 1, 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning in San Carlos, California.[2][3] The founders were influenced to start the company after General Motors recalled all its EV1 electric cars in 2003 and then destroyed them,[4] and seeing the higher fuel efficiency of battery-electric cars as an opportunity to break the usual correlation between high performance and low fuel economy in automobiles.[5] The AC Propulsion tzero also inspired the company's first vehicle, the Roadster.[6][7] Eberhard said he wanted to build "a car manufacturer that is also a technology company", with its core technologies as "the battery, the computer software, and the proprietary motor".[8]​

​

Ian Wright was the third employee, joining a few months later.[2] The three went looking for venture capital (VC) funding in January 2004[2] and connected with Elon Musk, who contributed US$6.5 million of the initial (Series A) US$7.5 million[9] round of investment in February 2004 and became chairman of the board of directors.[2] Musk then appointed Eberhard as the CEO.[10] J.B. Straubel joined in May 2004[2] as the fifth employee.[11] A lawsuit settlement agreed to by Eberhard and Tesla in September 2009 allows all five (Eberhard, Tarpenning, Wright, Musk and Straubel) to call themselves co-founders.[​

 

[Deuce]

He is really that stupid. Musk is the apex of the brilliant inventor who's very very bad at business.

No he's not a brilliant inventor, he hasn't invented shit.

PayPal was his first big break. "What if we did banking on the internet" wasn't groundbreaking. Every bank was setting up online banking in that era. Musk just skipped the brick and mortar part. PayPal was just the first successful example of a purely-electronic bank. It's like opening a bakery that only sells croissants. You might start a very successful chain of croissant bakeries, and that's great, but it's not some grand invention.

He bought Tesla. He didn't design anything. In fact, his interference has actually set back development of Tesla's autopilot systems.

He hasn't designed any rockets either. He hires people to do that. "Reusable rockets" is not a new concept either.

The tunnel in Las Vegas is 100% grifting. He took a subway tunnel and made it worse in every single way, and got the city to pay for it. Grift is a talent, sure, but it's not an invention.

 

[poweRob]

No he's not a brilliant inventor, he hasn't invented shit.

PayPal was his first big break. "What if we did banking on the internet" wasn't groundbreaking. Every bank was setting up online banking in that era. Musk just skipped the brick and mortar part. PayPal was just the first successful example of a purely-electronic bank. It's like opening a bakery that only sells croissants. You might start a very successful chain of croissant bakeries, and that's great, but it's not some grand invention.

He bought Tesla. He didn't design anything. In fact, his interference has actually set back development of Tesla's autopilot systems.

He hasn't designed any rockets either. He hires people to do that. "Reusable rockets" is not a new concept either.

The tunnel in Las Vegas is 100% grifting. He took a subway tunnel and made it worse in every single way, and got the city to pay for it. Grift is a talent, sure, but it's not an invention.

Also helped that he was born rich which helped get his paypal idea rolling.

Was Elon Musk Born Rich?

There’s a popular quote that says, “it’s not your fault if you aren’t born rich. But if you remain poor, it’s your fault.” While that quote is true, we can’t

celebanswers.com

The SpaceX CEO was born into a wealthy South African family. His father co-owned an emerald mine and his mother was a supermodel. However, he doesn’t seem to attribute his wealth to his lineage.​

 

[Hypothetical]

I can decipher a basic persecution-complex theme in your post, which means that you don't understand the issue. Read Yishan Wong's explanation that I linked to in post 29 and you'll get it.

LOL I do not use twitter, so it can't really be that much of a persecution complex now can it?

I am merely stating the fact of how progressives reacted to the censorship twitter engaged in against many conservative opinions , in contrast to what YOU stated about what conservatives are now telling progressives about Musk allowing free speech.

anyone can see that fact if they are honest about the events that have taken place... they do not need to hide behind proclaiming others to have made up "persecution complexes".

 

[Cardinal]

LOL I do not use twitter, so it can't really be that much of a persecution complex now can it?

Yes, pretty easily actually.

I am merely stating the fact of how progressives reacted to the censorship twitter engaged in against many conservative opinions , in contrast to what YOU stated about what conservatives are now telling progressives about Musk allowing free speech.

anyone can see that fact if they are honest about the events that have taken place... they do not need to hide behind proclaiming others to have made up "persecution complexes".

I'm just going to assume that english isn't your first language. Trying to wade through your posts is too painful.

 

[beefheart]

Give me a break, is this guy really that stupid? I would love to see him back out and let Twitter shut some of the loonies off again.

Breakingviews - Breakingviews (from April 27): Elon Musk probably won’t buy Twitter

There are good reasons for him to get cold feet, Breakingviews columnists Lauren Silva Laughlin and Gina Chon write.

www.reuters.com

The interest cost of his loan is more than Twitter made last year.

And, he is really exposing his cash position on this.

It could just be a billion dollar troll.

 

[Ikari]

He is really that stupid. Musk is the apex of the brilliant inventor who's very very bad at business.

No, he's an Edison style conman. What did Musk invent? He just paid people to do the smart work and claimed credit for himself.

 

[trouble13]

Why are you trying to stop Reuters from posting opinion articles?

I'm not. Why are you trying to silence my opinion?

 

[Cardinal]

I'm not. Why are you trying to silence my opinion?

Did you just try silencing me?