It seems like Americans are in the finals of everything; democracy, culture, civilization, and politics. And is almost as if the fuels of their miseries are being supplied every day. Because day-to-day American lives get tensed with uncertainties that only mystery can tell. They continue to haunt the politics of democracy, while chasing the economics of socialism and capitalism, making it look as if the two views are their last resort. But their condor has become a liability. The ashes of the bragged-upon democracy are blowing like the whirlwinds of last day’s imperialism. And now, they are losing credibility abroad, with crumbling systems of politics and economics. American resonance is now a nauseating flavor, still smelling pungent.
Elon Musk has gotten Twitter in his iron-jawed grips. All hell has broken loose already, yet the dire realities still await him and the American people. For better or worse, the realities will once again unfold to tame the untamed and beat the unbeatable. And will continue its way to intensify the ever-boiling polarization and resentment of the American people. Musk may not know about the wholesale American intentions. But his course may unify it, on a platform that has controlled governments over the past few years.
Internally, he may rely on the said values that America had been boasting of. Hence, may not make any attempt to call for reformation. But America does not only need reformation, it also needs overhauling, both in totality and particularity. From politics to history. Society and its institutions. The whole structures need repair, some need replacement or fresh energy.
But Elon might be having big plans for his Twitter. Plans to Free Speech America. Maybe it is a dream, and will still continue to be a dream, if everything about American politics, as it is today, remains the same.
Ever since Sarah Palin ascended to American mainstream politics, American politics has never been the same. Edging around the strings of John McCain in 2008, she swiped up sharp rhetoric from her governorship in Alaska into the talks and chats of Washington, that is still weaving political cobwebs in American politics today. The division she sowed from the rhetoric of “liberal regular media and liberal elite media” and “American and Unamerican” still defines the bates of politics in the United States.
Fumed by Obama’s “Generational Change” rhetoric. Ignited by Trump’s “Make America Great Again”, America are still pondering with apolitical values, and outrage machines, that are unprecedented in the course of their history.
Musk isn’t a political scientist, or he might not be a good political analyst, to fully grab the depth of this political division. And so, his free speech ambition, though yet to be substantiated, might fall in the hands of the wrong people.
America’s conservative right-wing politics isn’t as pure as in the days of John McCain, Thanks to Trump’s populism. The Eric Cantors, Mitch McConnell’s and Paul Ryan’s type of conservative republican politics isn’t manifesting as they wish. If is it that type of conservative or right-wing politics that Elon Musk intends to build his Twitter, then he is too late. For now, they are in the era of Trump, Steve Bannon, and the Steve Millers Republican politics.
See also: Press Freedom, Democracy and Power
Democrats, elsewhere have also become as brutal and vicious as venoms. During and after Trump’s years in office. And their satisfaction, if only has been restored by Trump’s ban from Twitter, isn’t that obvious. During those years, George Floyd’s death became a national scandal, at the same time a crime against the world, and the Democrats weaponized it with obsessive anger and outrage through political assaults. But that wasn’t the beginning, because Steve Bannon’s Breitbart has already demonized immigrants, tagging them as illegal aliens, sweeping posts and videos which scandalized immigration for it to become a central policy for Trump’s White House.
Both, from the polarized wings, have vowed to exploit the division, fume the anger and with the little case, assault and demonize each other.
It had been decades in the making, an abyss of political insurgence, ready to battle on who should take Washington. But it has also been decades of free and unfree speech, defined by Facebook and Twitter; with bruising struggles for hashtags. The politicization of posts and demonization of activism through virtual campaigns.
It has been the heydays of political assaults, polarization, resentment, anger, outrage exploits, brutalities, and bloody protestations. Musk has witnessed these turmoils and upheavals from his offices and homes, now he will sit behind a control button of one powerful platform for this turmoil. The On and Off hashtag button of Twitter, currently making and unmaking activists, choosing between government and people’s protestations, banning powerful leaders and countries, causing uprisings and insurgence, organizing protests,s and disorganizing protesters. Musk, I’m sure, may be aware of this.
The very republicans who have longed for a profound social media platform like Twitter, to pass on their ideas or explain their theories for millennials to understand them might not get it. People like Jeff Flake, Eric Cantor, Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan, and others who have criticized Trump’s politics may intend to freely use Twitter to infuse into the public, the real values of the GOP Establishment. On the other hand, such would be a total defilement. Bannon’s Breitbart and their readers/followers, Steve Miller’s Patriots, Sam Nunberg’s allies, and Dinesh D’Souza’s followers would also need the hashtags to equally rage their base to match the left-wing liberals.
Musk has no option but to be ready for this embattlement within his own republican space.
What he meant by “Free Speech” might tune into Fumed Speech for his own good or bad. And what he meant by “Free speech by the law” may turn into Free Speech by Trying the law. America is a seriously divided country with politics of polarization and deep resentment.
A politics that has Trump and allies still defining it, and their opponents, ever ready to counteract them isn’t a political atmosphere that needs Elon Musk. In times when values of activism have changed, more people fighting for many minorities, including those who want to marry dogs. Musk may not know how to swing the hashtag buttons. He might not know the artilleries and grenades packed in the hashtags of #blacklivesmatter #whitelivesmatter #MAGA and others. But populism and nationalism within identarian politics are as powerful as the Pentagon. Musk may only know the surface.
Both the Democrats and Republicans are already having their own versions of Free Speech. Except that some Republicans (the Trumps) are still looking for more. The avenues of polarization and demonization haven’t been squared yet, YouTube, together with Facebook is already in the hands of the Left. And so Rumble.com, a YouTube-like platform was set for the right wings to also have their video comfort zone. Making the taking of Twitter by Elon Musk to be a jackpot hit by the conservatives. Musk has therefore jumped into the storm, he will stay in the blowing winds, unaware of the direction he will be going.
2024, might be the ultimate shakedown, at the same time a real test. But America can explode soon.
Musk may have good intentions, but his course in the virtual space might turn out to be a disaster, yet no one wished him bad luck. One of the most powerful hashtag buttons is in his hands. And the question is, who will use it better and who will use it worse? An answer, he doesn’t know. But to Americans and the world, scorns and paybacks are still in existential; Musk might be the scapegoat.
Excellent post!