Hey Mike. Long time fan from your days at twit, gastronomics, and of course machine society. I'm also not at all a fan of Elon. However, I think you might be off base with this post, which takes a very dystopian view and could be thought about in a very different way.
No doubt Twitter has become a cesspool, filled with lies and hate. However, I remain one of the few people to believe that we as societies need something like Twitter as a real-time, honest open account of the thoughts and happenings in a world filled with disinformation often peddled by the government's elected to represent us. That's certainly true in Brazil.
While it is true that Musk could nefariously use Twitter and Starlink to bring disinformation into a country, following Occam's razor, the much more likely outcome is that Twitter could be used to carry honest coverage of events, corruption, & protests that the government does not want their people to see. Living in Africa I'm all too familiar with that scenario.
As a trusted "influencer" and thought leader I have always respected your blunt and honest take on the news. However I think we also have a responsibility to paint a picture of a better world and and show your readers a direction where the technologies & systems that are being created today can be used in a better way.
So while I don't agree with musk I would definitely prefer to hear your thoughts on how starlink and Twitter (as examples) could be used to circumvent government controls and borders for good not evil. In the end I think we can all agree that that is what the judge was afraid of, not Elon sitting in an evil lair somewhere plotting to take down Brazil.
I do share your views, actually. Technology generally, and social networks, satellite broadband, AI, AR, etc., specifically will make everything better and worse at the same time.
Machine Society is cyberpunk non-fiction. My job in that newsletter is to explore the degree to which themes in cyberpunk fiction are playing out in the real world during our actual lives.
One of those themes is the rising power of corporations and also individual people to rival and exceed the power of nation-states, and that is absolutely starting to happen, and I give specific examples.
In this particular edition, I’m not commenting at all on actual X policies on disinformation, nor Starlink’s effect on internet access, nor even Elon Musk’s effect positive or negative on humanity.
I’m pointing out that which must be pointed out, which is that he in fact has the power do act as a nation-state, and this is new.
Too few people with too much crazy and untamed power and riches.
This read scared me, but heck, keep it coming. We need to stay informed!
Hey Mike. Long time fan from your days at twit, gastronomics, and of course machine society. I'm also not at all a fan of Elon. However, I think you might be off base with this post, which takes a very dystopian view and could be thought about in a very different way.
No doubt Twitter has become a cesspool, filled with lies and hate. However, I remain one of the few people to believe that we as societies need something like Twitter as a real-time, honest open account of the thoughts and happenings in a world filled with disinformation often peddled by the government's elected to represent us. That's certainly true in Brazil.
While it is true that Musk could nefariously use Twitter and Starlink to bring disinformation into a country, following Occam's razor, the much more likely outcome is that Twitter could be used to carry honest coverage of events, corruption, & protests that the government does not want their people to see. Living in Africa I'm all too familiar with that scenario.
As a trusted "influencer" and thought leader I have always respected your blunt and honest take on the news. However I think we also have a responsibility to paint a picture of a better world and and show your readers a direction where the technologies & systems that are being created today can be used in a better way.
So while I don't agree with musk I would definitely prefer to hear your thoughts on how starlink and Twitter (as examples) could be used to circumvent government controls and borders for good not evil. In the end I think we can all agree that that is what the judge was afraid of, not Elon sitting in an evil lair somewhere plotting to take down Brazil.
Hey, Jay. Thank you for the thoughtful comment.
I do share your views, actually. Technology generally, and social networks, satellite broadband, AI, AR, etc., specifically will make everything better and worse at the same time.
Machine Society is cyberpunk non-fiction. My job in that newsletter is to explore the degree to which themes in cyberpunk fiction are playing out in the real world during our actual lives.
One of those themes is the rising power of corporations and also individual people to rival and exceed the power of nation-states, and that is absolutely starting to happen, and I give specific examples.
In this particular edition, I’m not commenting at all on actual X policies on disinformation, nor Starlink’s effect on internet access, nor even Elon Musk’s effect positive or negative on humanity.
I’m pointing out that which must be pointed out, which is that he in fact has the power do act as a nation-state, and this is new.
Mark these words. Based on Musk's malignant narcissism, he stops democracy or we stop him. https://samray.substack.com/p/the-grooming-of-elon-musk-a-psychological-cc8