[ExI] what would any of us have done differently?

[spike at rainier66.com]

-----Original Message-----
From: extropy-chat <extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org> On Behalf Of
John Klos via extropy-chat
...

>...Data, please. Again, a wholly wrong assertion with no actual data. Show
me ANY source that substantiates the suggestion that Twitter either couldn't
or wasn't paying its rent and/or its employees pre-Musk...

This source says Twitter still isn't generating enough revenue to cover its
expenses.  Until it does, I would agree with this writer, who suggests that
it risks bankruptcy:

https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/twitter-bankruptcy-possi
ble-if-cash-burn-doesn-t-stop-musk-tells-employees-122111100134_1.html


> > ... wants to platform white supremacists, anti-Semitics, people with 
> > a history of hateful behavior and more. He does so by claiming it's 
> > in the interest of "free speech"...
>
> I didn't see anything in there which suggested anything of the kind.

>...Sigh. We have an implicit agreement when we write that the context would
either be clear, or we'd clarify. "in there" refers to what? To my message?
To Twitter?

We have no objective way to determine if a person fits these descriptions.
Can you give us a way or an equation with actual variables or some way
software can determine if a person fits these categories?  Subjective
judgment on these things are what led to Twitter in a power dive towards
bankruptcy, which even now is not clear can be avoided.  Twitter was drawing
on cash reserves just to make regular payroll and pay the rent, with no
viable plan for recovery.  That isn't how businesses work.

There is no objective definition of "hateful behavior."  But it is clear
enough to me that eventually content moderation will need objective
measures, which can be coded into software.

>...There are MANY examples of Elon platforming right wingers, anti-Semites,
white supremacists...

That is a perfect example of the problem John.  It makes it sound like you
wish to equate right wingers with anti-Semites, white supremacists.  OK so
what if... the right wing equates left wingers with all that?  Is that OK
too?  Or is it OK for the one wing and not the other?  

>...I didn't ask if you cared. I simply pointed out the fact that he is an
asshole, and as an asshole, he can't be trusted to not do asshole things...

I see, and can you show us an equation or objective measure to determine if
a person is an asshole?  If so, we can write software to determine if it is
so, and we don't need to pay people to make that determination.  Where I am
going with this is that we cannot trust subjective measures to do content
moderation.  That is inherently unfair.

I would consider calling someone an asshole an ad hominem attack, which is
poor form indeed.  Perhaps you would like to rephrase it John?

>...So you advocate for the openness of Twitter? Then explain this:

https://twitter.com/oneunderscore__/status/1603551884748460034

Ben Collins explains that Rupar was tweeting links to Twitter's competitor.
I don't think Twitter wants to advertise for its own competitors.  Do you?

spike