The Death of Twitter? Not So Fast!
Elon Musk Uniting with the Twitter Revolution
Elon Musk, meet Twitter’s resistance.
It’s been three months since the official name change, and rumors of the “death of Twitter” have been greatly exaggerated. Stephen King, renowned author and Twitter user, recently tweeted his distaste for the new name, garnering an impressive 71,000 likes. In response, Elon Musk, the mastermind behind the name change, cheekily replied with a “XX” and a winking-kiss emoji. Surprisingly, Musk’s reply received a measly 7,300 likes, despite having 150 million more followers than King.
This interaction not only highlighted Musk’s failed attempts to win over one of his favorite writers but also reflected the sentiments of the broader Twitter community. “Everyone still just calls it Twitter,” one popular reply proclaimed. Another frustrated user exclaimed, “I can’t explain to my friends what ‘X’ is!” These anecdotes serve as evidence that, despite Musk’s efforts, the majority of people still refer to the platform as Twitter.
A recent poll conducted by Harris Poll/Ad Age found that a staggering 69% of U.S. adults continue to use the name Twitter when referring to the platform. Furthermore, a Chrome extension eliminating any mentions of “X” from Twitter.com boasts over 100,000 users. This raises an intriguing question: If Elon Musk is desperately trying to make “fetch” happen, and fetch isn’t gaining traction, what happens next?
While Musk technically owns the service and can name it however he pleases, English itself is a democracy. If the majority of us still call it Twitter, then Twitter it is. Musk finds himself at odds with the Twitter resistance—an apt name for the 69% who refuse to embrace the new moniker.
Ironically, Musk’s slapdash approach to the name change has resulted in remnants of the “Twitter” brand scattered throughout the website, app, and email communications. Attempts to scrub away these remnants would require an enormous amount of work—more work than the number of employees Musk has already let go.
Strangely enough, the media may unintentionally aid Musk’s cause. Some outlets, such as ENBLE, have changed their style guides to refer to Twitter as “X.” Others opt for the “X, formerly Twitter” construction. If enough people read news articles branding the service as X, Musk could gradually tip the linguistic vote in his favor.
Twitter vs. X, Round 1
To fully comprehend the absurdity of the whole situation, let’s recap the events leading up to “this X shit.” Imagine a Hollywood movie pitch: The world’s wealthiest man buys a beloved internet brand and decides to kill it. Moreover, this man has an inexplicable obsession with the letter “X,” disregarding any advice regarding its dubious connotations.
To further drive this point home, the same man believes it’s cool to stick a massive illuminated “X” on the roof of the coveted brand’s office building. Incidentally, the building’s owner alleges that the world’s richest man has been stiffing him on the rent. A seasoned movie producer would shake their head in disbelief, comparing it to a bizarre mash-up of Biff Tannen from Back to the Future and Mr. Potter from It’s a Wonderful Life. Surely, no real-world villain could be this cartoonishly villainous, right?
By accident or design, Musk has managed to portray himself as the perfect supervillain. Dubbed “X Luthor” by Twitter users, his actions have inadvertently led to the creation of a resistance movement. Just like in the Hunger Games series, where the Mockingjay symbolizes rebellion against an oppressive regime, Musk’s decision to rebrand Twitter with a bird logo has inadvertently empowered the Twitter resistance.
Would the bird logo catch on? Would millions of Twitter users protest the change by adopting the bird as their avatar? Would they go dark, mimicking Reddit’s summer of protest, and only log on sporadically to prevent Musk from seizing their accounts? The answers remain unclear.
And a King Shall Lead Them
Enter Stephen King, the unexpected protagonist of this story. Despite being a frequent Twitter user who previously vowed to quit the platform, King has taken a stand against the dreaded “X shit.” His folksy charm and immense popularity make him the ideal leader for this moment. And the fact that he has chosen to speak up after three months indicates just how frustrating Musk’s decision has become.
Whether King’s influence will lead to more high-profile users joining the resistance remains to be seen. Nonetheless, by boldly speaking his mind, he has equipped the Twitter resistance with a powerful weapon—a respected horror writer publicly labeling the service as “X shit.” In an era where advertisers fear another New Coke debacle, such negative branding could drive them further away from the platform.
So, the ball is in your court, X Luthor. Will you recalibrate your approach in response to the growing resistance, or will you continue down this contentious path? Only time will tell.
How do you feel about the Twitter-to-X transition? Are you a part of the Twitter resistance, or are you aboard the X train? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
