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A Simple Solution To A Global Problem
John likes to solve challenges elegantly.
This morning he wrote this post … about The Chicago Review of Books announcing that it will not be reviewing any books published by Simon & Schuster during 2017. Click through if you want to understand why.
He also wrote this post … about Lindy West leaving Twitter.
Both pieces relate to Twitter. We also know that Twitter is having a hard time - for all the wrong reasons - and some right ones and that unless we do something about it, will maintain it’s position as The Bully Pulpit forPresident-Elect Trump.
Twitter co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey recently asked what ‘we’ would like to see in an ‘improved’ Twitter. Quite apart from the fact that it is bleeding obvious - people have offered their opinion - including Lindy (see above) … but actually, the best I have seen is from Anil Dash, who wrote his response on Medium.
Meanwhile Twitter’s market cap is floating around 12 billion dollars a fraction of Facebook and Google - and unless something miraculous occurs - it is going to get worse - and downright ugly.
Solution ….
Dear George Soros, I know you are someone who wants to save our democracy and ensure that America is a success. Could you and a group of your friends club together and buy Twitter - and once you own it, close it down. I know that the underpinning technology could be repurposed and put to better use - as we apply all the lessons we have learnt from Twitter 1.0. It would at a stroke solve so many of the world’s problems, not to mention cutting the oxygen / distribution to Trump’s broadcast megaphone. We know Twitter is for sale - and we also know that nobody has actually even made an offer … so you shouldn’t get too much competition.
Could you do that for us George? Could you?
Graham responded
An interesting global solution to a definite problem. Or maybe buy Twitter, port it, and let 1.0 continue in its own bubble? Chances are @realDT and acolytes would never notice, and the rest of us could get on with making a better world. Only concern is, would Soros follow through? Despite what’s been said and claimed about him funding radicals on the left, I’ve yet to meet anyone who actually got the check.
John agrees on that last point …
… which is not to say that he doesn’t agree with the other ones!
… and then reading this - he wrote this.
And suddenly on Monday April 10th, 2017 …
John would also like to point out that he is not totally nuts
Having just seen this - and absorbed accordingly!
… it’s all about how Twitter could become a cooperative. Then again there is Mastadon.