another Elon interview [closed due to politics]

[Newton]

sounds to me that Elon should have figured all this out before offering to buy the company.
But i definitely agree with him about needing better numbers on bots/ fake accounts.

if something crazy like 40% of twitter is bots, well than all of twitters add revenue and stuff is good on paper but like he said, is it really getting to actual people? it almost seems like fraud on twitters part and the company would be worth much less.

 

[TheLastStarfighter]

The value of Twitter is entirely related to its number of users. If it is purposely putting in a weak effort to determine the number of fake accounts and giving an estimate they know is likely on the small side, that is a case of massive fraud. The SEC would absolutely have issue, and it would significantly reduce the value of the company. If Elon were to buy the company, put in an aggressive effort to remove spam accounts and then find he has 50% less users, the company is worth a fraction of what he paid. Given the track record of the two parties involved here, if I had to wager I'd say Elon's probably in the right. Time will tell.

 

[Ogre]

There was quite a bit of extremely negative sentiment from the Democrats before Musk went on his rants against the left. Much of it was simply untrue/ fundamentally stupid.



EW going off the deep end about Musk and taxes as he was literally spending billions in taxes.



Bernie Sanders on some of the stupidest ideas about space travel ever. Literally suggesting the company pay *other billionaires* 20-50 times more money for space flights to avoid paying Elon.



This is on top of the fact that Biden’s completely tone deaf EV/ pro GM push. Multiple Democrats have made a big point about saying people should buy non-Tesla EVs.

Lots of stuff Musk says makes me cringe.

But some of his criticism of the Left feels very much like a reaction to a huge shit sandwich he’s gotten from an administration and congress who should be supporting what he does. He wasn’t on offensive against the Left 4-5 years ago. This has ramped up significantly from both sides since Biden took office.

Everyone is an Asshole here and I wish it would stop.

 

[SparkChaser]

There was quite a bit of extremely negative sentiment from the Democrats before Musk went on his rants against the left. Much of it was simply untrue/ fundamentally stupid.



EW going off the deep end about Musk and taxes as he was literally spending billions in taxes.



Bernie Sanders on some of the stupidest ideas about space travel ever. Literally suggesting the company pay *other billionaires* 20-50 times more money for space flights to avoid paying Elon.



This is on top of the fact that Biden’s completely tone deaf EV/ pro GM push. Multiple Democrats have made a big point about saying people should buy non-Tesla EVs.

Lots of stuff Musk says makes me cringe.

But some of his criticism of the Left feels very much like a reaction to a huge shit sandwich he’s gotten from an administration and congress who should be supporting what he does. He wasn’t on offensive against the Left 4-5 years ago. This has ramped up significantly from both sides since Biden took office.

Everyone is an Asshole here and I wish it would stop.

There is very clear messaging against Musk from the Democrats. This is stupid on their part. The criticisms based on wealth inequality and the rigging of the system are based on current advantages given to capital over labor and income vs earnings. It all needs to be addressed but the current political climate is such a shit show, on both sides of the isle that my expectations are falling faster than the market.
Musk is fantastic innovator and concept to product thinker. This should be rewarded and it obviously is happening. Musk would still be fabulously wealthy even with a more equitable tax system. The problem I see with this huge wealth is that it distorts the idea of democracy. When 1 person can exert huge political pressure the idea of 1 person 1 vote goes out the window.

 

[rr6013]

There is very clear messaging against Musk from the Democrats. This is stupid on their part. The criticisms based on wealth inequality and the rigging of the system are based on current advantages given to capital over labor and income vs earnings. It all needs to be addressed but the current political climate is such a shit show, on both sides of the isle that my expectations are falling faster than the market.
Musk is fantastic innovator and concept to product thinker. This should be rewarded and it obviously is happening. Musk would still be fabulously wealthy even with a more equitable tax system. The problem I see with this huge wealth is that it distorts the idea of democracy. When 1 person can exert huge political pressure the idea of 1 person 1 vote goes out the window.

In 1994 it was obvious that wealth, private and corporate, bought the system. Lobbying, rule making, legal outcomes and campaign finance(501c3, etc…) have all been wrested out of elected officials hands.

In 1994 it looked like “money talks” a democratic society based on how much money you controlled.

In 2022, today, this is an outright coup. Functionally, the democratic system is no longer working for people(as in human beings). So the concept of voting is out-the-window. The richest man in the world can’t buy a place in the United States democratic society. No seat at the Presidents cabinet, no recognition for environmental CO2 reduction and no home. No home for launching rockets to the moon, Mars or even his children to enjoy sleepovers and time with Dad. It would become a travesty of riches were he to hold a family get together at a house big enough for his extended family.

So the billionaire un-rolls a sleeping bag in his office, couch surfs friends or chooses a night with his ex-wife to see his children. Yeah its a coup that even money can’t fund your pursuit of happiness, a vote to effect change or build an empire solely to save souls other than his own.

Wow…and the government ESG rates the billionaire off the environment island. Well done, touché and whatever fistbump they use in petrochem. Complete bloodless coup.

 

[Crissa]

Rich people aren't supposed to be able to buy seats at the democratic table.

The richest man in the world can’t buy a place in the United States democratic society. No seat at the Presidents cabinet

It's supposed to be based upon votes. Elon isn't an elected official. He doesn't need recognition.

-Crissa

 

[rr6013]

Yes, I am seeing a guy who's losing grip with reality, politics, and doesn't know how social media even works.

Twitter gains and bans thousands of accounts every day. It's almost like he doesn't know this. Or how expensive it would be to try to verify every account is operated by a human without the desire to spam.

Lastly, his demand for this metric today violates his agreement - he should just hand over the billion dollars now. The number of accounts that are spam is not a metric that the SEC cares about, and Elon asked to not do any due diligence beyond legally required. This situation is his fault.

-Crissa

You make new points. Good ones.

What do you think? Should the Twitter sale for $44B continue to close based upon Twitters self-supplied 5%?

Where do you establish liability if the measured spam accounts, spam messaging bots or fake credentials masking a non-human actor add up to more than 5%?

Is that ”Oh, sorry” on Twitter’s behalf “must’ve been a down day we counted only 5%?

Or is that “Tough, you bought it — you own it!” by Twitter.

What if EM buys a big fat 20% spam prime Twitter burger? Where’s the beef? Elon’s looking for an answer.

What say Ye?

 

[SpaceYooper]

Lastly, his demand for this metric today violates his agreement - he should just hand over the billion dollars now. The number of accounts that are spam is not a metric that the SEC cares about, and Elon asked to not do any due diligence beyond legally required. This situation is his fault.

I'm not sure he is violating any agreement. Just like when you sign an offer for a home purchase, you still have an inspection period (usually). If after the inspection you offer less, you are not violating anything.

I think buying a company is similar. Once they agree to terms there is then a period of time the buyer has to inspect the company. If there are things found, within x amount of time, then the buyer can change their offer.

 

[rr6013]

Rich people aren't supposed to be able to buy seats at the democratic table.

It's supposed to be based upon votes. Elon isn't an elected official. He doesn't need recognition.

-Crissa

Hurrumph…parental impulse supressed on “supposed”.

After earning all the money in the world a person could ever need, Elon Musk is in the position of making a difference. Tesla is one, Boring another, NeuralLink yet again, Starlink, SpaceX, Twitter?

I actually is about votes! Elon believes persons(as in human beings) can’t make a diffrence if like the democratic system he has recently experienced is not based on what is “real”.
/////// sidebar ///////
I know that EM jokingly suggested returning Coca Cola™️back to “The Real Thing” cocaine but there be his truth.
/////// end sidebar ///////
IF you can’t make a difference, why even get up everyday? Why do you post reply’s into early AM hours if everyone of your comments “make no difference”? Not to anybody reading you, your opinion and this website your reply’s are weightless regardless the reaction score you earn? Why? Why bother @Crissa?

 

[Crissa]

Is that ”Oh, sorry” on Twitter’s behalf “must’ve been a down day we counted only 5%?

This is the average from eight years of data, apparently.

I'm not sure he is violating any agreement. Just like when you sign an offer for a home purchase, you still have an inspection period (usually). If after the inspection you offer less, you are not violating anything.

Yes, but he specifically waived the inspection.

Why do you post reply’s into early AM hours...

Insomnia? Loneliness?

-Crissa

 

[Newton]

I will vote for whoever seems will do the most good, has morals, all that stuff, REGARDLESS of what side they are on.

Elon saying he will vote 1 side vs the other seems to me just making things worse.

 

[Ogre]

I will vote for whoever seems will do the most good, has morals, all that stuff, REGARDLESS of what side they are on.

Elon saying he will vote 1 side vs the other seems to me just making things worse.

Biden and the Democrats tried to push an incentive that would gift his competitors with a $4500 competitive advantage per vehicle. Bernie Sanders has publicly stated the US government should avoid SpaceX and contract with more expensive competitors. Multiple Democrats have said things like “Fuck Elon Musk” unprompted. Many other Democrats have publicly said “Which EV other than Tesla should I buy?” Elizabeth Warren basically lied about Musk paying taxes multiple times.

Most of this was way before Twitter and before Musk started digging into politics.

Do you expect Musk to talk about how awesome the current administration is?

 

[Crissa]

Regardless of side? Party platform matters as well. That's how they manage all the things not mentioned in their campaign, oversight, committees, judges, etc.

Politics is a team game.

-Crissa

 

[rr6013]

This is the average from eight years of data, apparently.

New information! If accurate and included in the NDA EM hasn’t characterized the % as an average.

2014 was two Centuries ago in Internet time. It was beginning of a second VC IPO Boom post 2008 crash.
2016 I attended FACEBOOK legal council wedding reception which coincided with his retirement as a two digit employee#. “Click fraud” was his and everyone at the party fear. It was palpable. Yet FB continued.
Today IPO VC inflection point is collapsing. EM is scrambling trying to find investors. My view on EM’s discovery is whether Twitter even knew what its algorithm counting fraud was “real”. OR was it in reality simple “ click fraud”.

 

[Crissa]

Biden and the Democrats tried to push an incentive that would gift his competitors with a $4500 competitive advantage per vehicle. Bernie Sanders has publicly stated the US government should avoid SpaceX and contract with more expensive competitors. Multiple Democrats have said things like “Fuck Elon Musk” unprompted. Many other Democrats have publicly said “Which EV other than Tesla should I buy?” Elizabeth Warren basically lied about Musk paying taxes multiple times.

Most of this was way before Twitter and before Musk started digging into politics.

Do you expect Musk to talk about how awesome the current administration is?

1. The 4500: Biden did not do that. His bill only had a small 'union made' bonus. That was from representatives in specific manufacturing states.
2. Sanders said they shouldn't contract with anyone.
3. Multiple low-level people disliked him. People on both sides of the aisle have said that. None have high positions in the party.
4. Why should anyone be forced buy a product from a company led by someone who has been unapologetic when faced with him insulting others?
5. Using Musk as an example of not paying taxes is unfair, as he pays more than anyone else. However, he is still an example of the excesses of our system rewarding him thousands of times more than anyone else who has put in the hours at the company. And he's only continued to be petty about it, and ignorant that he is not the only one in the world dealing with taxes.

No, he's being childish and has surrounded himself with proven liars and scammers.

-Crissa