Pseudo-Events, Twitter, and You: Why It’s So Hard to Log Off

In this video I discuss X’s (formerly Twitter’s) suspension in Brazil, the regulation of freedom of speech, and Elon Musk’s refusal to comply with the Brazilian supreme court’s decision to protect its users from hate speech and fake news.

In the first part talk about the pros of being forced off X/Twitter, the nuances of the Brazilian Supreme Court’s ruling.

In the second part I discuss the pros of Twitter and why it’s hyperbolic to say “social media shouldn’t exist’ period.

Conversely, in the third part, I discuss the various cons of X/Twitter today, and why, at the end of the day, I’m happy to be rid of it, but also why I miss it and how my ‘missing’ X/Twitter is due to how social media delivers news in such a way to make it addictive and to promote main character syndrome, via creating pseudo-events.

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Timestamps:
Intro 0:00
Part 1: Good Riddance 3:31
- freedom of speech
- how should we regulate social media
- is it even possible?
Part 2: The Pros of Social Media and Why I find myself 'missing' Twitter 10:22
Part 3: How Social Media and Pseudo-Events Rewire Your Brain and How It Affects News Coverage (and makes you 'miss' twitter) 14:58
Conclusion 32:09

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Music:

Kevin MacLeod - Investigations

Kevin MacLeod - Local Elevator

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Tags:

twitter ban,twitter ban brazil,twitter suspended in brazil,twitter freedom of speech,x banned in brazil,x suspended,x ban brazil,elon musk brazil,brasil elon musk, age of information, digital age, twitter brain,main character syndrome,social media addiction,doomscrolling,doomer,fake news,twitter outrage,video essay,commentary,news as entertainment

[toganium]

Given how Elon has promoted incredibly hateful individuals like Chaya Raichik and Andrew Torba, I don’t think anyone can convince me that Elon doesn’t have a hate speech policy.

[SarastistheSerpent]

I quit Twitter when Elon bought it, and I do not miss it at all. My life has improved drastically without it

[blasphemous_hippie]

I'm really impressed with Brazil's response to the growing issue of twitter becoming a sesspool of violence and misinformation. Makes me wish we could push something forward like that here in the US, but I know it would become a MASSIVE "free speech infringement" kind of thing. Instead we're banning tiktok. Same old disorderly American priorities. I grow so very tired of this. Though I'm glad to hear twitter's absence is having a net positive in your life so far! I hope it stays that way.

[solarmoth]

70% of the youtube content I consume is retellings of pseudo events from tiktok.

[raven_g]

I got rid of all social media like 10 years ago for mental health reasons. I deal with schizophrenia and when I got serious about being stable and healthy, I had no choice but to get rid of it for at least a little while. Ultimately, I realized how much better my life got off social media so I just never went back.

[tlowery]

love the concept of pseudo events… explains… so much of social media lol

[elfodelputoinfierno]

Musk tried to use the First Ammendment to argue he was having his right to free speech was being violated. As in
THE AMERICAN FIRST AMMENDMENT.
In Brazil. A completely different soverign country, with laws of our own.

He basically spat on Xandão's face and Xandão responded in kind. BIG W

[customURLfor]

twitter's suspension was a godsend, specially regarding São Paulo's mayoral election

[ThatWeirdFinn]

Wow Brazil doing great things on law-making??? Happy to hear! I know one Brazilian person, who was very sad of the state of the country in 2019. I will take this win, even though Brazil is not the best place in some regards, ofc.

[meliyaramirez]

Never heard the phrase 'pseudo events' but it makes so much sense in the context because you cant really call it news! I also had a problem with twitter use and finally uninstalled it from my mobile devices in December. I miss being 'in the know' as quickly as the gen population is but it's been such a relieving trade-off

[FishareFriendsNotFood]

"We are ruled by extravagant expectations" is a great quote, thank you for this video

[justinmckenzie]

Pseudo-events feels so raw and true - a never ending cycle of stories that people react to and stories about people’s reactions. It’s a trap.
and I wonder what the logistics are of a whole country banning twitter like you mentioned using a vpn to access it so is the process just the website is blocked through all the Brazilian ISPs/Cellular providers? Like if I fly to Brazil I can’t access twitter on the WiFi but won’t have a problem over 5G? Idk it just seems like such a crazy thing to regulate - as much as it is necessary if the companies won’t do it themselves.
Might meet you on BlueSky but tbh right now twitter for me is a page in my Notes app that I show to no one - I do miss my DragonBall Screenshot/cool art farming but can’t imagine having any wholesome interactions with the people stuck on the site as it is now.

[WillaGem]

I deleted my twitter not too long after musk bought the site- while I'm glad not to be on twitter (my mental well-being has vastly improved) i do think i've lost access to a lot of community and just general awareness of things going on in the world. One other thing I've been thinking about lately is just how much art, culture, media, and even jokes and memes are going to be lost as more and more people leave twitter

[rampaginwalrus]

I'm 28 and have never had a twitter, so I love watching political videos about twitter

[edamamameU]

I'm glad to hear that Brazil has taken such a strong stand against hate speech. I never like Twitter, and dislike it even more now due to Elon Musk's hate-filled rhetoric against women, LGBTQIA+ people, people of colour, immigrants, people of different faiths, etc. I have friends who are addicted to social media apps like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook and it really worries me. I sometimes feel like the algorithms keep my friends in these constant dopamine loops.

[LoggieSeay]

Hi Cheyenne, after Boorstin's psuedo-events, you may be interested in Baudrillard's "hyperreality" in Simulacra and Simulations. This is essentially about how reality is dictated by representation, especially of that which does not actually exist in reality. It is kind of an evolution of pseudo-events. Great video!

[thetechnologicalsingularity]

As someone who has had the pleasure (and horror) of working as a journalist, I wonder deeply about our role as solicitors of news and meaning to our communities. How can we aid the journey to empower critical thinking when we write news that we also have to share on social media? Great video, it genuinely provoked important questions.

[ezramiller]

Great video! I’m glad that I now have the vocabulary word of “pseudo-event” bc it’s something I’ve felt but been unable to describe

[FictitiousCtrlGames]

Had no idea brazil was so based. I stopped using twitter when it became over run by literal nazi's. I've grown to enjoy threads and reddit as a substitute.

[cyberpunkalphamale]

There is a great interview in Brasilwire with Estela Aranha that is relevant to this issue. She was the former Secretary of Digital Rights in the Brazilian Justice Ministry.