The Ongoing Musk-Twitter Story: A Compendium of Commentary — "Glaringly Obvious Silencing Campaign Against Credible Journalists" and Brain Death

So much to say about the ongoing débacle that is Twitter under Elon Musk's ownership. As with Donald Trump, the minute you think he/it has gotten the worst that is possible, a new low arrives — with Musk and Twitter yesterday, shutting down the accounts of journalists who have dared to criticize him. I'm chronicling the Musk-Twitter story on my new Mastodon page, where you're welcome to follow me if you wish. Here's a selection of items I've shared there:

In News: No Joy in Trumpville, Warnock Victory, Why Right Needs Hunter Biden, and Hate Speech on Twitter

Photo of stack of newspapers by Daniel R. Blume, Wikimedia Commons

Jay Kuo, "There Is No Joy in Trumpville": 

This has been a disastrous week—one for the record books, truly—in Trumpland. Three separate calamities went down this week, and we would be remiss to focus on just any one of them.

Commentary on the Train Wreck That is Twitter and Musk: Rich White Men and the Thrill of Breaking Good Things

David Ljungdahl illustration in 1910 Swedish edition of Jules Verne's "Captain Grant's Children," from Wikimedia Commons

I've deliberately held off sharing commentary on the train wreck that is Twitter — and Elon Musk — because 1) rich white men like him are allowed to suck too much air out of the room of public discourse as it is; 2) I refuse to let myself become obsessed with Musk's nonsense and the endless psychoanalyzing of him by commentators trying to figure out why a developmentally stunted narcissist with a hugely inflated ego seems to enjoy destroying a promising if flawed institution permitting valuable public discusssions and information sharing.

On the Twitterpocalypse

David Ljungdahl illustration in 1910 Swedish edition of Jules Verne's "Captain Grant's Children," from Wikimedia Commons

Things are … happening … at Twitter. As Josh Taylor reports in "Twitter ‘closes offices’ after Elon Musk’s loyalty oath sparks wave of resignations," 

In News: Democrats Retain Senate Control, Twitter's Apocalypse, Supremes' Savage Credibility Problem, Trump's Racist Attack on Youngkin

Photo of stack of newspapers by Daniel R. Blume, Wikimedia Commons

Kristin Kobes du Mez's tribute to Twitter as the band keeps playing while the ship begins sinking is moving and also sad: such good destroyed by an ill-intentioned egomaniac with way, way too much power solely because he has money. She writes, 

Commentary on the Grim Situation at Twitter

David Ljungdahl illustration in 1910 Swedish edition of Jules Verne's "Captain Grant's Children," from Wikimedia Commons

As Jessica Pegis says in a comment here yesterday, the situation at Twitter looks grim. Noah Kirsch and Justin Baragona report, 

Money Makes the World Go…. Commentary on the Role of Big $$ in Political Life (with Asides about Twitter and Covid)

Joseph Keppler cartoon, "The Bosses of the Senate," from Puck, 1889, at Wikimedia Commons

Robert Reich explains succinctly who exacerbates the culture-war tensions in the US and why that "who" is doing this: 

Commentary on Musk Takeover Continues: What Does It Mean for World's Richest Man to Take Over One of World's Most Influential Social Media Sites?

David Ljungdahl illustration in 1910 Swedish edition of Jules Verne's "Captain Grant's Children," from Wikimedia Commons

Josh Marshall on why he keeps focusing on Musk's acquisition of Twitter, though that may annoy some of his readers: 

Lula's win in Brazil, reported on here by Tom Phillips and Constance Malleret, seems to me a good thing for the whole global community — though what Bolsonaro, who said he would not concede defeat if he lost the election, intends to do now, we have to wait and see.

The Pelosi Attack: More Commentary

Teresa Hanafin tells it like it is: 

In News: "Till" Film Released; True History and Actual True History; Rising Antisemitism; Twitter Takeover Consequences

Photo of stack of newspapers by Daniel R. Blume, Wikimedia Commons

This weekend, Chinonye Chukwu’s film "Till" has been released nationally after limited-viewing showings on 14 October. Join the Movement Toward Racial Justice summarizes why this film telling the story of the 1955 murder of 14-year-old African-American Emmett Till Jr. remains critically important for Americans to hear today:

Reports About Twitter after Musk Acquisition

Microphone photo by Taoheedah, Wikimedia Commons

 

1. Heather Cox Richardson reports about what's happening at Twitter after Musk acquired it: