Thanks for sharing why you left, which I noticed recently. I’ll miss your thoughtful posts. I agree that the platform has changed (it always required filtering, but it requires much more aggressive filtering than it used to). I hope this frees you up for both your journalistic and artistic ambitions!
“What made the twitter algo so good was that it was primarily dominated by ordinary people. Some innocuous tweets from Joe Schmo would be some of the funniest or enlightening things you’ve read, there was insight to the human pysche. The team at X I believe doesn’t entirely understand this. In its infancy “journalists” were few and far between and influencers were almost nonexistent. The posts were from people like you and me. There were shitposters, artists, smart people, stupid people, and schizophrenics all telling you how they really felt, and it was beautiful. Twitter is powerful, it draws people in, but the reason it doesn’t feel the same anymore is because everyone is trying to sell you something, a product or idea. Instead of escapism to the last town square, the equivalent of a Roman forum we now have a place that feels just as dreary as the rest of the world. It’s all an ad from cyberpunk. It’s what watching the news used to feel like, all danger and dread. Instead of the people and the words they’re saying we have binary code, numbers go brrrr. The team has no idea what people want to see, they amplify things that get the most clicks, piss the most people off, get the most people to start fighting each other in the comments. A great example of this was their attempt at a “bangers” account which was all engagement slop, and that’s not what keeps people coming back. It just ain’t the same anymore.” - Berwyn Choobs (random tweet from yesterday that I saw)
My awakening that Twitter was going in the wrong direction was the realization that the independent sources and voices I valued perhaps weren’t so independent. It use to be more subtle, now it’s increasingly overt to see talking points and blind support given by left or right wing large follower accounts.
I use to value independent voices. They are increasingly rare to find. I found myself a few years ago drawn to the “trad journalist girl pipeline” but I even came to see that as a manufactured thing.
I have no answer for it but I believe civil war will come to the world over the extreme polarization of politics and ideologies, with these large and highly polarized accounts leaving no room in the middle for respectful debate and disagreement. I pray that doesn’t happen.
People who live by a code; honor, integrity, faith, intentional purpose, understand why you left X.
That’s a shame, and twitters loss. And to a lesser extent, individuals who found your posts interesting there. I’m one of them, for sure. Your reasoning reads very logical to me. Best of luck with the change, not that I think you will need it! Gary.
I understand where you're coming from and agree that Twitter has fallen to a pretty low state in recent years. The worst example of this is how the readjusted algorithm deliberately suffocates any content not deemed "relevant" to whatever is currently trending in the news or pop culture.
There was a time when I could write threads about the most unusual and obscure topics, and many of them would surprisingly go viral, with tremendous amounts of feedback (both positive and negative).Now, no thread or post of mine seems to be able to reach anyone outside of a handful of devoted readers who regularly visit my account (and I'm far from the only one experiencing this setback).
This is what made the site such an amazing place. It was a fountain of exchanging opinions and creative ideas (almost like a digital version of an 18th-century London coffeehouse, but global in reach).
Now, as you've described above, it's become just another slop site.
Hope that either Elon returns it to the former ways or that he chooses to sell it to someone who will try to do so.
I am proud to see you take a stand, Comrade Alessandra! I’m surprised because I thought the trad e-girl had won and that you had opted for the path of least resistance. Do I think you were losing yourself on X? Very much so, it’s hard to avoid.
There is nothing to miss, really. The follower count is over-inflated. You have a strong enough reach that you’ll be able to build a stronger, more intelligent readership for both your artistic and journalistic impulses here on Substack — if you’re willing to put in the time. Believe less in America; believe more in yourself.
Do not hesitate to engage with your readership. The “distance” is made in the quality you select for, not in the posture you take. It doesn’t make you any less aristocratic. As a Bocchista, I’d like to be included in that too, of course. 😊
Welcome back Alata-
Thanks for sharing why you left, which I noticed recently. I’ll miss your thoughtful posts. I agree that the platform has changed (it always required filtering, but it requires much more aggressive filtering than it used to). I hope this frees you up for both your journalistic and artistic ambitions!
Lol, I thought you had blocked me, cause I kinda soft bullied you for not taking anatomy classes seriously.
“What made the twitter algo so good was that it was primarily dominated by ordinary people. Some innocuous tweets from Joe Schmo would be some of the funniest or enlightening things you’ve read, there was insight to the human pysche. The team at X I believe doesn’t entirely understand this. In its infancy “journalists” were few and far between and influencers were almost nonexistent. The posts were from people like you and me. There were shitposters, artists, smart people, stupid people, and schizophrenics all telling you how they really felt, and it was beautiful. Twitter is powerful, it draws people in, but the reason it doesn’t feel the same anymore is because everyone is trying to sell you something, a product or idea. Instead of escapism to the last town square, the equivalent of a Roman forum we now have a place that feels just as dreary as the rest of the world. It’s all an ad from cyberpunk. It’s what watching the news used to feel like, all danger and dread. Instead of the people and the words they’re saying we have binary code, numbers go brrrr. The team has no idea what people want to see, they amplify things that get the most clicks, piss the most people off, get the most people to start fighting each other in the comments. A great example of this was their attempt at a “bangers” account which was all engagement slop, and that’s not what keeps people coming back. It just ain’t the same anymore.” - Berwyn Choobs (random tweet from yesterday that I saw)
My awakening that Twitter was going in the wrong direction was the realization that the independent sources and voices I valued perhaps weren’t so independent. It use to be more subtle, now it’s increasingly overt to see talking points and blind support given by left or right wing large follower accounts.
I use to value independent voices. They are increasingly rare to find. I found myself a few years ago drawn to the “trad journalist girl pipeline” but I even came to see that as a manufactured thing.
I have no answer for it but I believe civil war will come to the world over the extreme polarization of politics and ideologies, with these large and highly polarized accounts leaving no room in the middle for respectful debate and disagreement. I pray that doesn’t happen.
People who live by a code; honor, integrity, faith, intentional purpose, understand why you left X.
That’s a shame, and twitters loss. And to a lesser extent, individuals who found your posts interesting there. I’m one of them, for sure. Your reasoning reads very logical to me. Best of luck with the change, not that I think you will need it! Gary.
I understand where you're coming from and agree that Twitter has fallen to a pretty low state in recent years. The worst example of this is how the readjusted algorithm deliberately suffocates any content not deemed "relevant" to whatever is currently trending in the news or pop culture.
There was a time when I could write threads about the most unusual and obscure topics, and many of them would surprisingly go viral, with tremendous amounts of feedback (both positive and negative).Now, no thread or post of mine seems to be able to reach anyone outside of a handful of devoted readers who regularly visit my account (and I'm far from the only one experiencing this setback).
This is what made the site such an amazing place. It was a fountain of exchanging opinions and creative ideas (almost like a digital version of an 18th-century London coffeehouse, but global in reach).
Now, as you've described above, it's become just another slop site.
Hope that either Elon returns it to the former ways or that he chooses to sell it to someone who will try to do so.
We have to work with what we've got, flouncing out isn't the answer. Gutted!
I am proud to see you take a stand, Comrade Alessandra! I’m surprised because I thought the trad e-girl had won and that you had opted for the path of least resistance. Do I think you were losing yourself on X? Very much so, it’s hard to avoid.
There is nothing to miss, really. The follower count is over-inflated. You have a strong enough reach that you’ll be able to build a stronger, more intelligent readership for both your artistic and journalistic impulses here on Substack — if you’re willing to put in the time. Believe less in America; believe more in yourself.
Do not hesitate to engage with your readership. The “distance” is made in the quality you select for, not in the posture you take. It doesn’t make you any less aristocratic. As a Bocchista, I’d like to be included in that too, of course. 😊