I finally got tired of playing Stalin’s Chicken with Elon Musk, the proprietor of X who expects people to pay for “reach” and styles that “free” speech. Since I refused to pay the flabby faced billionaire a monthly per diem, most of what I posted on X was only seen by people who took the time to manually call up my “feed” – or whatever the term is for this – and even then, I discovered that most of my posts just sort of disappeared.
But Elon knows how to play Stalin’s Chicken. Are you familiar with the story? it goes like this: The Soviet dictator received some foreign visitors one day. One of them asked the Generalissimo how he managed to control the population, in view of the fact that it was starving and brutalized. Stalin demonstrated the technique by roughly grabbing a chicken that had been walking near his boots. He violently plucked the bird and then released it, whereupon it ran away as far as it could. Then Stalin reached into the pocket of his uniform tunic and pulled out a small handful of scratch grain, which he sprinkled near his boots. The plucked and shivering bird returned to Stalin.
And that’s how it works.
It works for Elon, too.
I noticed that – sometimes – he (or his algorithm, is there a difference?) would allow me to enjoy some “reach.” I would post a few things and get a dozen or more replies, often within an hour or so of posting them. I felt as though I was communicating with people and this encouraged me to spend more time on X trying to do just that. And then – just like that – my “reach” would be rescinded. No matter what or how much I posted, I’d get zero replies. Total dead air. This would sometimes last for days. Then – at random – the “reach” would resume.
The random part is key – if you’re wanting to emulate Stalin’s technique. It is important to induce in the victim a sense of uncertainty. To make it clear to him that at any time, things can (and will) change for reasons entirely beyond their control. It makes the victim feel uneasy; that his privileges can (and will) be rescinded at any time. This lack of predictability is a key method used by control freaks – who are often sociopaths or psychopaths – to keep the victim in a state of anxiety.
Is Musk a sociopath – or a psychopath? His actions – as opposed to what he says – suggest one or the other. At any rate, I got tired of playing Stalin’s Chicken with the geek. I still go there to post links to my latest articles and videos but I no longer make any effort to banter with people because it’s a waste of my time and theirs.
I wish more people would stop playing games with Elon.
We’re better off talking to one another on our own terms rather than his.
. . .
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Eric,
Though I still have an account on Twatter (spelling deliberate for obvious reasons), er X, I haven’t used it in ages. I got the feeling that I was being throttled too, as I also voice decidedly non-PC opinions.
All (((social media))) is a creation of 3 letter intelligence agencies. Instead of spying, now you have self reporting….only software is required to look for anything of (((government))) interest…and that’s where AI comes into play.
The stupidity burns beyond belief, as I watch my fellow Goyims embrace the Idiocracy….
SMDH…YMMV….
I realize a lot of people use Twitter/X. However I have never had any desire to have an account and suspect many other fine people never have either.
I don’t use X/twitter because whenever I go to read someone’s channel/posts, it doesn’t even sort the posts by date, the posts are all mixed up. That’s insane. It’s unusable. I don’t know why anyone even uses X. Maybe it lets people sort posts by date if they are logged in??? Even so, that is turning away a HUGE audience.
RE: “it doesn’t even sort the posts by date, the posts are all mixed up”
No kidding?
Like going to cars.com & viewing cars For Sale which have already been sold?
…It certainly sounds like a dumb-assed stupid website. Thanks for clarifying.
…Glad I never went there.
For what it’s worth, X is the only platform that was reporting the assassination attempt on the Don in real time. I looked at corporate news sites and they were reporting “loud noises, possibly fireworks”.
It’s a tool that has it’s uses. Social networking is not one of them. Neither is self promotion, unless you pay for the privilege (while saying the right things). Same as it ever was.
Fake people and opinions meant to sway yours. X is just the next step, technologically, in social manipulation and control, powered by AI.
I agree, Philo –
I also think it’s become more trouble than it’s worth and is probably a kind of honeytrap for Wrongthinkers, as others have already suggested. Musk is an evil clown and such are best avoided.
I never paid anything to post comments on various subjects on X.
Hi Laura,
I am able to post on X; the issue is whether anyone is allowed by X to see what’s posted!
Hmm, I thought the bigger issue was, honeytrap.
Morning, Helot –
It’s both. A honeytrap, sure. Or at least, probably. But the other thing is the grating way X subtly direct what is allowed to be seen (read) according to its opaque algorithms. I am personally beyond sick and tired of that and “community guidelines.” It is time for me to tune out and turn off. I think it would be healthy if more of us did. So-called “social media” is a cancer.
LOL there was no “assassination attempt”.
You need to wake up.
I fart in your general direction.
To complain about a lack of reach on X while at the same time intentionally limiting the reach of the website you fully control is ironic.
“intentionally limiting the reach of the website you fully control”
What do you mean?
Hi Philo,
I’m waiting for BID to reply but i assume he means I am limiting my reach by not paying Elon for it.
Hi BID,
What are you talking ’bout, Willis?
Eric,
With all due respect, you have allowed the comments section of your site to be taken over by a small group of 10-20 participants that routinely spew some pretty nasty commentary. Others copy and paste their own repetitive “articles” as if they are using your comments section to run their very own blog.
As the owner of this site, it is your right to allow whatever you see fit to be posted here.
But to think that your site isn’t being monitored, scraped, rated, and downgraded in the Search Engines due to the content here is wishful thinking. That limits your reach and your ability to monetize your own content. Not just on X but in general.
I thoroughly enjoy your automotive and Libertarian content. I used to routinely share and suggest this site and support of it to other auto interested friends and family. I can no longer do that. That is unfortunate in my opinion.
I very well may be the minority. I am just one person, but if I’m no longer sharing, how many others have stopped as well? Hopefully you’ve done the Web-analytics and know your target audience and the scope of your web traffic better than I.
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to provide this “customer” feedback.
Also, good customer feedback could include a “like” and “dislike” button for every post. Maybe the people spewing ignorance would get the hint when they get 100 dislikes and 0 likes.
I see posts all the time that are excellent, but I have nothing to add to it. A simple “like” button would be a good way for me to indicate agreement without having to fill the comment section with empty affirmative responses.
You can always reply “agreed” or something.
That’s what I try to avoid. Nothing to add except an affirmative.
Personally, I am not a fan of the “like/dislike” button. It is psychological. People counting “likes” pushes them more toward that method of thinking rather than what they truly think or feel. If someone dislikes something I say I much rather have a spirited debate on why they disagree rather than a handful of thumbs down which provides no substance.
“have a spirited debate”
In theory, I agree, but honest debate is probably not possible with a paid agent provocateur whose only objective is to disrupt and derail such debates.
These derailers of debate rely on engagement, and could be rebuffed with lopsided indicators of disapproval.
I know if I created a response that got 0 replies and a lopsided disapproval rating, it would probably cause me to reflect a bit.
The problem Philo is that you aren’t a narcissist. You are giving the others way too much credit.
I agree,
Like button is very much a psychological. The whole Facebook/X/etc model is about control. It may not be any more complex that just the dopamine hit and keeping your eyeballs on the screen longer, you know, just monetization. It could be 3-letter mind control, too. But it almost always just boils down to money.
In any case, I think the comment section here would benefit from some improvement in interface. Specifically the ability to handle users individually using a follow or ignore model. Primarily the ignore obvious bots or agents.
Hi Let’s Roll –
I’ll ask my computer guy about the like/follow thing. WP is limited in many ways, though. But I’ll ask. Thanks for the suggestion!
I never realized that RG, i just do not do social media. Never have. I am not on ANY social media. EPautos is really the only place for commentary and even then, not everything is a thing so I rarely post.
Who am I? I am nobody. At least on the internet. I am somebody off the internet. Because that is where life is.
I am so glad I do not live for the like buttons.
I appreciate the fresh perspective RG while I open my windows at 6am in Alaska for a cool breeze, being thankful I do not even watch television anymore. It is all static.
Hi J,
I am with you. I have never joined, enlisted, or posted on another social media account other than here at EPAutos.
I just a believer that sometimes it takes more than 140 characters to get one’s point across.
The problem with likes/dislikes is you have no idea what the person on the other side of the keyboard is agreeing/disagreeing with. They may just dislike your name or the tone of the message and not the actual point being made.
BID: You sound just like those neocon scoundrels, Jordan Peterson and Douglas Murray, telling Joe Rogan he needs more guardrails. I, for one, applaud EP for keeping this a free speech zone. If you don’t like the substance of the speech of others then challenge it.
In the words of The Civil Rights Lawyer (on Youtube), “Freedom is scary; Get over it.”
Hi ML,
I don’t believe BID sounds like a neo-con at all. He is making his opinion known. He makes some valid points. None of us are against free speech. We are against the same constant BS being spewed over and over from four and five commentators who make the same points over and over. None of us have the time or willingness to continue to argue/debate 60 posts that have absolutely nothing to do with the topic at hand, but are constantly regurgitated by the handful who can speak of nothing else.
I was describing Peterson and Murray.
BID’s gripe is misdirected at EP. If BID’s got a problem with a comment, he should respond to its substance accordingly. If he doesn’t have time, then so be it. He can just reply with: “Enough is enough with these irrelevant posts” or “STFU.”
BID’s only apparent opinion is that he doesn’t like some comments for some unstated reason(s) and that EP should dedicate the time and energy to eliminate them. I’d much rather EP dedicate his time and energy writing new articles that determining what comments should be permitted or not permitted.
People like that don’t debate with “facts”.
They’re too scared.
And too jewish.
Dislike button clicked.
That’s all you have.
Certainly not facts, 😀
Enough is enough with these irrelevant posts!
Just curious, ML…do you think they will get the point after I copy and paste 30x?
Maybe I can just make an emoji face and post that.
Which one does everyone prefer…🤮🤬😳😡😤💩🖕?
💩 is my favorite.
“BID’s gripe is misdirected at EP. If BID’s got a problem with a comment, he should respond to its substance accordingly.”
Maybe you ought to try the same.
I notice you right away had to resort to name calling rather than to address the substance of my comment.
The reality is that whether we like it or not, Eric’s ability to monetize his website and to increase the reach of EP Autos is limited by the Algos of the search engines and other sites such as X, Instagram, or whatever.
Eric is free to do with my comments as he sees fit.
However, it’s clear many of you live in La La Land and refuse to accept that the way the Algos work is not set by you or your sense of entitlement. Freedom of speech doesn’t imply that EP must give you a voice on his private platform.
I’m grateful Eric allowed me to post my opinion. However I would not assume that it is my right to shit-post vile rhetoric all over his private property – thus decreasing the value of his property.
If Eric was wants to allow your childish behaviors, that is his prerogative. But that decision has consequences including how X may choose to limit Eric’s reach due to comments that X’s algos find posted here. Just as EP Autos is Eric’s private property X is the property of Elon and he too gets to dictate the rules of engagement on his site whether we like them or not. Eric cannot control what Elon does or doesn’t do. Eric can affect what Eric does and what Eric chooses to tolerate.
I would have thought this would go without saying but I guess not.
*Insert passive aggressive rant here*
109 countries.
1000+ times.
Let’s get rid of them forever.
RG, I just skip those posts. As soon as I see the name, I know what is about to spew like Old Fsithful.
Eric allowing them to post keeps em on the gubmint radar.
There are certain names I read because they are quality, in fact, I am replying to a quality poster right now.
Hi J,
Thank you. That is very kind of you to say.
There is no doubt the site has been infiltrated by those that wish to stir up trouble and destroy a site that preaches liberty and critical thinking.
I question what brings someone to a website who doesn’t share similar values of what is being promoted. If one has arrived, posted, and been met by constant rebuking…why stay? There can be no other reason than to eradicate such a forum so it is no longer offered as a sanctuary to others with similar viewpoints.
I like hanging out at the bar in Star Wars. Sometimes, though, it does seem like a concerted effort to ratchet the insanity up to 11. The redefining of words, the fake history, the repetition, the cut and paste jobs, the unrelenting vitriol, the backslapping. At a certain point, it seems… synthetic. It’s not “scary”, either, just overdone, which may be the point, too. It’s a fine line, for sure.
I agree a few have inundated the comments with their opinions regarding certain things. The cut and pasting is obvious. I ignore those posts. You should limit them. If they contribute? Should be a factor.
See how this…”individual”…does nothing else but passively aggressively call for censorship.
“Gee, Eric, I sure do like your stance on free speech and all, but gosh, it sure does suck how all the jews don’t appreciate your stance on free speech and how we…er, they’re limiting your reach because of it.”
What a coward. Are you so afraid of saying “I’m a jew, and I want you to censor the truth being spoken about my people RIGHT NOW.”?
Or are you just not ALLOWED to say it, but rather have to act like a passive aggressive blue-haired liberal woman?
“What a coward”
And yet the keyboard warrior still hasn’t gone to actually fight those that you profess to hate. Surprising!
Here’s the reality, I find the genocide going on in Gaza to be immoral and deplorable. I find our own government’s unconditional support of Israel to be disgraceful. We ought to be allies on that front.
But the reality is that your childish name calling, and one track response to every topic EP posts about puts us at odds.
And yet we wonder how the Empire continue to thrive on its divide and conquer strategy. Maybe when you finally realize that it is the evil government(s) of the world vs the rest of us, you’ll quit hating others just based on their ethnicity.
Grow up.
Why should I give up hating someone based on their ethnicity when many of their kind of swore to exterminate the white race?
F**k you and that little girl s**t. It’s the JEWS that control the “evil government(s) of the world” and you are unable to prove otherwise.
But I’ll let you start with a list of countries which do NOT have Rothschild central bank. Just to prove what an idiot I am to everyone.
Go ahead. How many countries don’t have a Rothschild Jew central bank. WOW us with your knowledge.
And if you aren’t aware of the importance of who controls the global money supply, then you don’t deserve to speak.
Enough is enough with these irrelevant posts!
FBI/CIA/Bot/ Troll only seeking to destroy that which he didn’t create and bears no burden related to destruction of Eric’s property
LOL…you forgot to include the emoji, BID. 💩
😉
So you admit they’re all owned by Rothschild jew banks.
Literally, everyone, including Eric, is watching you dodge factual debate.
Keep on keeping on.
Come on, bro. Lighten up up a bit.
“I find the genocide going on in Gaza to be immoral and deplorable.”
BID, I prefer not to get into debates with one-track-mind commenters, because it’s a waste of time and never leads anywhere, but while the points you made in your first post are very valid and well-taken, I do still wonder:
How many of the keyboard warriors posting here with such seeming certainty about international events, especially the ones in Middle East, have actually spent any decent amount of time – let’s go with a couple of years at least – or even any time at all, in the Middle East? That means, Israel, Egypt, Jordan at least?
Or in any other Muslim country? How about Saudi Arabia? Or parts of Indonesia apart from Bali, where the main religion is Hindu?
Or even in Europe of the last 5 or so years – Germany, France and UK at least?
If any of you actually did have those experiences, you may have a somewhat different opinion on the ‘genocide’ of the so-called ‘innocent Palestinians’. Or Sunni/Shia Muslims in general.
Think of this:
Why don’t any of the rich Muslim countries ever offer the ‘Palestinians’ asylum? Not even Jordan or Egypt, who are exactly the same Arabs and speak the very same language?
Why do the ‘Palestinians’ always want to migrate to Christian countries in Europe/US/Australia/Canada/UK etc?
Why does all such foreign aid always have to be footed by the West? (Perhaps so Yassir Arafat’s daughter could be worth billions and live happily in France? This was a fact as of a few years ago; feel free to check it out.)
How come some 20% (last time I checked) of Israel’s population consists of Muslim Arabs with Israeli citizenship, who even have their own representation (United Arab List) in the Knesset (parliament)? Isn’t the place an apartheid state, according to the local ‘experts’?
How many Christian parties, or churches even, do you think there are in Saudi Arabia or in Afghanistan? Does the number of zero not make those two apartheid states?
And no, I’m not a Jew. And I’m talking about countries, not just their governments.
But I have eyes, a brain and have actually spent a fair amount of time in all of the above places.
Thank you for stating the obvious for the ignorant.
I couldn’t have said it better, and even if I did, the points would have been dismissed off-hand because I am a Jew. So much of libertarian philosophy….
People come and people go. Sorry to hear you feel the way you do BID. I would miss some of your comments. I don’t see whats so hard about ignoring those who annoy you. And I’d say Eric knows what he’s doing. He’s been at this a long time. Do you think by throttling certain words typed here that somehow, GoloboHomo and Central Scrutinizer would be any kinder to EPAutos? I think not. This is one of only a few of its kind. Why does it need to be sanitized for the masses? Only Eric can decide. I find it strange how many people give advice one way or another, but I’m just me.
Fair points Norman
My initial comment was simply regarding the irony of Eric lamenting that his reach is being limited by X.
When he didn’t see the irony and was asking for my meaning of the comment, that’s when I offered my opinion. I’ve repeatedly said that this site is Eric’s property to do with as he chooses. However, there are consequences to each of our choices. Limited reach on X is one of them that is a result of choices made thus far.
To answer your question “Why does it need to be sanitized for the masses?” – it doesn’t . . . As long as Eric is content with the reach of the site as-is.
Morning, BID!
I will not bend knee to Corporate Overlords or anyone else. Yes, I could expand my reach and probably make a lot more money by being a Good German and not offending anyone (or the algorithms). That’s not for me. It’s a decision I made a long time ago, before there was an EPautos. Before the Internet was more than a curiosity. I have mentioned this before but it bears on this discussion so I will mention it again. A long time ago, back in the late ’90s, I was approached by the editorial page editor of the Wall Street Journal, who wanted me to consider hiring on as an editorial writer for the WSJ. This was what’s known in the biz as a career move. A big one. Guys who write for the WSJ often end up as big-name authors/commentators who earn millions. I admit I was tempted. But a smarter part of me recognized that the price I’d pay for that would be to become one of them. Another Sean Hannity or Glenn Beck – and I’d rather drink bleach. I’m very proud of EPautos because it’s at least not a shill factory and whether you or anyone else likes what I write or what others write is beside the point in that what you’ll encounter here isn’t bought bullshit. It’s one man’s straight-up take on things and ditto the comments. It’s not for everyone; I get that. But it’s not my mission in life to please the crowd – or the algorithm.
And that’s what makes you rare in the world of journalism.
“But it’s not my mission in life to please the crowd” — you are so tragically misguided. You ARE in fact pleasing the crowd, just the wrong crowd. The few annoying flies circling around non-stop.
Morning, AG –
I disagree. EPautos is one of the few places that allows free speech. What’s tragic, in my view, is that some think free speech is dangerous and destructive and ought to be throttled to the sensitivities of those who are . . . sensitive. That’s not me. I agree with the sentiment attributed to Voltaire about knowing who rules over you. Let the facts sort themselves out. If that hurts some feelings along the way, that’s not just ok (with me) I consider it necessary. Just as I do acceptance of risk as the price of living in a free society.
Eric, with all due respect, you are missing the point. Of course nobody is above criticism, and that includes the Jews and the Jewish state. The problems is, what’s this going on here is not criticism – it’s just vomiting anything and everything on the JQ, void of facts or knowledge, in comments on any topic, relevant or not. And it spills from the Politics section to the automotive posts.
And you can also see that I am not the first or the last of your readers complaining about this. And the others are not even Jewish, and they are getting fed up with this.
Maybe you should take a heed. I only try to be helpful for your own good
Is that supposed to be some kind of threat?
I hear you, AG –
This is a tough hoe to row. I do my best and hope it’s for the best. We’ll see! I’m now prepping for Gard Goldsmith’s show; air time about an hour from now. I’m having a little drink first.
What does, “sanitized” mean?
I’ve never been to the Star Wars bar.
There’s quite a few bars here on earth I wouldn’t spend time in.
While there’s others, I may.
Are all bars the same?
Anything goes?
…’Anything’?
If I was in charge you wouldn’t be posting you whiny cunt.
🖕
Musk may be the drug addled, tech wonder-boy, face of the BirdSite outfit, but he’s far from it’s owner.
Don’t forget that Larry Ellison of Oracle was a big contributor to Musk’s “purchase” of Twitter.
Even baby oil enthusiast Puff Daddy is in there somewhere in the mix.
Everyone involved in stonks needs the Musk hype train to keep rolling, as their portfolios reach eye watering levels from meaningless companies that produce fantastical boasts, but nothing of value to the average schmuck.
You’re watching a total corporate takeover of every institution in the old USSA.
Forget “Land of the Free, Home of the Brave”, “Numbers on paper only goes up” needs to be the new motto of America.
Musk doesn’t appear to be neither a sociopath nor a psychopath. He appears to be a drug addled individual with arrested development. Liberal one day, conservative the next back to liberal or something. Someone with no core principles except the accumulation of large amounts of wealth.
Kind of like his ex-pal, The Donald. Each hates competition.
I quit Twitter and Facebook when I no longer saw posts from people I follow because the doomscroll was filled with “suggestions” of people I should follow, most of them promoted. Didn’t really miss much, other than not being quite as in touch with my cousins. No loss.
X is too crowded, nobody goes there anymore.
I never go there, ever.
The place is pitch black, a black hole.
It’s a trap. You’re in the dark, once you’re there, Musk will keep you there, no doubt. There will be no light until you see it yourself.
Elon needs more money, yours will do.
You’ll be plucked but good.
All the world is a stage to these Judeo-Freemasons. Elon Musk is a lifetime actor put in place to dance on the stage. Like so many other lifetime actors, he has done too many drugs and his brain is fried. Kanye West is another example of this effect. Donald Trump is another example, although his brain may have been addled from birth.
I don’t believe that Musk is suddenly no longer a compadre of Trump any more than I believe the Trump never defiled teenage girls on Epstein’s Island.
The most important question is if the X databases already belong to Mossad and Palantir. I would bet that they do, and the X is nothing more than a honey pot the same way the Epstein/Maxwell sex tape blackmail operation worked.
It is interesting that Iran has forced all the government to stop using Whatsapp, which is likely a similar blackmail honeypot.