Skip to content
By using Twitter’s services you agree to our Cookies Use. We and our partners operate globally and use cookies, including for analytics, personalisation, and ads.
  • Home Home Home, current page.
  • About

Saved searches

  • Remove
  • In this conversation
    Verified accountProtected Tweets @
Suggested users
  • Verified accountProtected Tweets @
  • Verified accountProtected Tweets @
  • Language: English
    • Bahasa Indonesia
    • Bahasa Melayu
    • Català
    • Čeština
    • Dansk
    • Deutsch
    • English UK
    • Español
    • Filipino
    • Français
    • Hrvatski
    • Italiano
    • Magyar
    • Nederlands
    • Norsk
    • Polski
    • Português
    • Română
    • Slovenčina
    • Suomi
    • Svenska
    • Tiếng Việt
    • Türkçe
    • Ελληνικά
    • Български език
    • Русский
    • Српски
    • Українська мова
    • עִבְרִית
    • العربية
    • فارسی
    • मराठी
    • हिन्दी
    • বাংলা
    • ગુજરાતી
    • தமிழ்
    • ಕನ್ನಡ
    • ภาษาไทย
    • 한국어
    • 日本語
    • 简体中文
    • 繁體中文
  • Have an account? Log in
    Have an account?
    · Forgot password?

    New to Twitter?
    Sign up
vgr's profile
Venkatesh Rao
Venkatesh Rao
Venkatesh Rao
@vgr

Tweets

Venkatesh Rao

@vgr

Conversational account. For work follow @ribbonfarm, @breaking_smart, @artofgig. Tweets are 90% vacuous views, apathetically held. Mediocritopian. IKEA builder.

Los Angeles, CA
venkateshrao.com
Joined August 2007

Tweets

  • © 2020 Twitter
  • About
  • Help Center
  • Terms
  • Privacy policy
  • Imprint
  • Cookies
  • Ads info
Dismiss
Previous
Next

Go to a person's profile

Saved searches

  • Remove
  • In this conversation
    Verified accountProtected Tweets @
Suggested users
  • Verified accountProtected Tweets @
  • Verified accountProtected Tweets @

Promote this Tweet

Block

  • Tweet with a location

    You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more

    Your lists

    Create a new list


    Under 100 characters, optional

    Privacy

    Copy link to Tweet

    Embed this Tweet

    Embed this Video

    Add this Tweet to your website by copying the code below. Learn more

    Add this video to your website by copying the code below. Learn more

    Hmm, there was a problem reaching the server.

    By embedding Twitter content in your website or app, you are agreeing to the Twitter Developer Agreement and Developer Policy.

    Preview

    Why you're seeing this ad

    Log in to Twitter

    · Forgot password?
    Don't have an account? Sign up »

    Sign up for Twitter

    Not on Twitter? Sign up, tune into the things you care about, and get updates as they happen.

    Sign up
    Have an account? Log in »

    Two-way (sending and receiving) short codes:

    Country Code For customers of
    United States 40404 (any)
    Canada 21212 (any)
    United Kingdom 86444 Vodafone, Orange, 3, O2
    Brazil 40404 Nextel, TIM
    Haiti 40404 Digicel, Voila
    Ireland 51210 Vodafone, O2
    India 53000 Bharti Airtel, Videocon, Reliance
    Indonesia 89887 AXIS, 3, Telkomsel, Indosat, XL Axiata
    Italy 4880804 Wind
    3424486444 Vodafone
    » See SMS short codes for other countries

    Confirmation

     

    Welcome home!

    This timeline is where you’ll spend most of your time, getting instant updates about what matters to you.

    Tweets not working for you?

    Hover over the profile pic and click the Following button to unfollow any account.

    Say a lot with a little

    When you see a Tweet you love, tap the heart — it lets the person who wrote it know you shared the love.

    Spread the word

    The fastest way to share someone else’s Tweet with your followers is with a Retweet. Tap the icon to send it instantly.

    Join the conversation

    Add your thoughts about any Tweet with a Reply. Find a topic you’re passionate about, and jump right in.

    Learn the latest

    Get instant insight into what people are talking about now.

    Get more of what you love

    Follow more accounts to get instant updates about topics you care about.

    Find what's happening

    See the latest conversations about any topic instantly.

    Never miss a Moment

    Catch up instantly on the best stories happening as they unfold.

    1. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Apr 14
      • Report Tweet
      • Report NetzDG Violation

      Mob minds could do with some psychological distancing.

      5 replies 7 retweets 69 likes
      Show this thread
    2. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Apr 14
      • Report Tweet
      • Report NetzDG Violation

      I’ve pondered the Thielean anti-democratic turn for a few years now. Trump’s victory in 2016 struck me as both the most democratic and least democratic thing ever. I’m still firmly for electoral democracy and against authoritarian/monarchical rule. But I’ve updated definitions.

      1 reply 1 retweet 14 likes
      Show this thread
    3. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Apr 14
      • Report Tweet
      • Report NetzDG Violation

      Is the bloc vote of a mass movement in the grips of memetic contagion a democratic mandate? Yes in letter, no in spirit. Electoral democracy can’t structurally distinguish between mass movements and individual franchise. Should it? I don’t know but let me try to frame it.

      3 replies 1 retweet 12 likes
      Show this thread
    4. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Apr 14
      • Report Tweet
      • Report NetzDG Violation

      Trump didn’t get 62,984,828 individual votes. He got 1 vote weighted by 62,984,828 for, and 1 vote weighted by 65,853,514 against. Bloc vs bloc. Further weighted (some say distorted) by the funhouse mirror of electoral college.

      2 replies 1 retweet 5 likes
      Show this thread
    5. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Apr 14
      • Report Tweet
      • Report NetzDG Violation

      This was arguably a new phenomenon, despite some historical precedent. It was neither like clientelistic democracy a la Jackson, nor like limited mass movements. It was closer to a 51% sibyl attack. Real humans turned into sock puppets by an idea and forged into something.

      1 reply 2 retweets 12 likes
      Show this thread
    6. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Apr 14
      • Report Tweet
      • Report NetzDG Violation

      Two metaphors come to mind: 1. grasshoppers transformed into locusts by scarcity (did you know locusts are not a separate species? They’re grasshoppers in a special state) 2. Meme pandemic. MAGA as a mind-virus that swept through the population.

      2 replies 0 retweets 18 likes
      Show this thread
    7. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Apr 14
      • Report Tweet
      • Report NetzDG Violation

      I’m happy to bothsides this argument. Bernie mob is as much locust swarm/mind virus as Trump mob. The first metaphor suggests one intervention: return to condition of plenty somehow. The second metaphor suggests another: media distancing. Two questions: Can we? Should we?

      2 replies 1 retweet 5 likes
      Show this thread
    8. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Apr 14
      • Report Tweet
      • Report NetzDG Violation

      The first intervention I am going to dismiss. “Return to plenty” is not a political choice. It’s a function of optionality created by new technology. You may not agree. Some think there’s plenty already, hoarded. Separate argument. But I’ll punt. We can’t, so should-we is moot.

      1 reply 1 retweet 6 likes
      Show this thread
    9. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Apr 14
      • Report Tweet
      • Report NetzDG Violation

      Venkatesh Rao Retweeted Venkatesh Rao

      The second intervention is interesting. We’ve learned enough in the last few years that we could. I think media distancing to flatten the curve of memetic contagion is possible. We could lower R0 of ideas like MAGA with tech. Question is: Should we?https://twitter.com/vgr/status/1247375660244320258?s=21 …

      Venkatesh Rao added,

      Venkatesh Rao @vgr
      What if a totally toxic dank meme forced media distancing?🤔 Min 6 minutes between tweets, likes. Max 2 retweets per tweet. Non-essential bluechecks required to shut down op-ed/take-tweeting (only essential beat-reporting bluechecks can tweet).
      Show this thread
      3 replies 2 retweets 11 likes
      Show this thread
    10.  🤯‏ @krrishd Apr 14
      • Report Tweet
      • Report NetzDG Violation
      Replying to @vgr

      in dismissing the first intervention, it's assumed that not everyone will have enough/what they need, right? and with the second, they also can't form mass movements (or even the appearance/social media illusions of them) around their problems? where does that energy go then?

      1 reply 0 retweets 0 likes
      Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Apr 14
      • Report Tweet
      • Report NetzDG Violation
      Replying to @krrishd

      Adapting meaningfully

      9:30 PM - 14 Apr 2020
      • 1 Like
      • 🤯
      1 reply 0 retweets 1 like
        1.  🤯‏ @krrishd Apr 14
          • Report Tweet
          • Report NetzDG Violation
          Replying to @vgr

          you're more optimistic than me, but fair :)

          0 replies 0 retweets 1 like
          Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. Undo
          Undo

      Loading seems to be taking a while.

      Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.

        Promoted Tweet

        false

        • © 2020 Twitter
        • About
        • Help Center
        • Terms
        • Privacy policy
        • Imprint
        • Cookies
        • Ads info