Thread by @JoosyJew

Most of us don't know each other beyond this app. It's arguably better that way. We'd discover the funny ones are dull, the flattering photos misrepresent the flesh or the gobby bravado is misplaced. (1/17)

It might have been easy to think those 10 letters and an obscure book cover in a small circle just existed on Twitter, rather than the exceptional brain, wry joker and doting dad that lived and breathed outside this addictive hell site. (2/17)

The outpouring of love and sympathy towards his wife and their girls, following Pete’s untimely death, is testament to a person who many reading this knew for his sharp wit, intellectual debate or friendly guidance via Twitter and Facebook. (3/17)

If you conversed with Pete, you’ve probably looked back at your WhatsApp, DMs or Facebook chats in recent days and laughed. What a loss to the world.

For others, it provided an opportunity to deride, (4/17)

gaslight and besmirch a husband and daddy whose wife and daughters are grieving. His crime? He shared an existing meme poking fun at another mortal, but a mortal who is elevated above other mortals by a twisted mindset cloaked in faux goodness. (5/17)

A man beyond the mockery and ire of non-believers. A man who intentionally chose to make an example in this case, by directing his 2.4 million followers to bare their teeth. Imagine being capable of doing all of these things and still thinking you’re a good person, (6/17)

on the "right side of history". The takeout is, ‘Mocking a man’s death is fine, if it’s in defence of a ‘great’ man’. A ‘great’ man who spends his life standing side by side with people who also celebrate death. (7/17)

A man who remained silent when thousands of antisemitic memes and messages were tweeted in his honour. But these cold, ghoulish souls are the typo in a tweet. The annoying 'an' instead of 'a'. The meaningless mistake we should ignore within the bigger story, (8/17)

on Twitter and in life.

Instead we should focus on the hundreds, if not thousands, of loving, warm, genuine stories about Pete. A man who was the subject of a Twitter ‘Spaces’ chat the other night, (9/17)

where dozens of us piled in to listen to stories about him or say a few words. And all of a sudden these other small circles with obscure pictures and random names had voices - literal voices, with accents and emotions and tears and laughter. (10/17)

Kind, compassionate, caring people.

At times, it felt like a group therapy session. Everyone became living, breathing people on this shitty hell site. (11/17)

And I thought about all the small circles with obscure pictures and random names who have become my friends because of Twitter, and some of the things we’ve achieved together. Amazing things. Things we couldn’t have done without Twitter. Plus the Zoom calls, or demos, (12/17)

or talks we attend together, or visits to the pub. Where a Lecturer of Romantic Literature, a Painter & Decorator, an Artist, a Lawyer, a Toy Seller, a Market Trader, a Comedian, an Actor, a Social Worker, a Journalist, (13/17)

in amongst dozens of other people with jobs and worries and families, can find common ground and friendship. And all because of this shitty hell site.

Twitter can be a sewer. But it can an incredible resource and, to some, a lifeline. As in real life, (14/17)

we should distance ourselves from the worst influences; toxic people, those who applaud death, those who launder their own hatred and present it as goodness, those who wish us harm. Because Twitter is filled with so many fascinating, interesting, kind, inspiring, funny, (15/17)

informative people. Seek them out, learn from them, meet them in the real world. Enjoy their humanity in person outside the restrictions of 280 characters. Turn this hell site into something positive. (16/17)

Because behind every small circle with obscure pictures or random names is a person. Some of them are, unquestionably, wankers. Some are brilliant. And, if you were fortunate enough to meet him, one of those brilliant people was Pete Newbon.

RIP Pete.

(17/17)