Thread by @PnictogenHorses

I feel that I must *thank* @elonmusk for something.

his actions (as well as those of Mr. @mtaibbi, who may or may not be a friend of Elon Musk's, depending on which direction his independence is blowing) have furnished a unique illustration of something that's usually invisible.

that intangible, abstract thing is the concept of #trust, which is essential to society. most (if not all) powerful persons in the United States are untrustworthy—that is to say, you can't rely upon these powerful persons to stick to agreements or principles or anything else.

and few human beings are *less trustworthy* than @elonmusk, @mtaibbi, and their @GOP political allies. there's many reasons why the American right wing can't be trusted, but chief among them is toxic Christianity: right-wing Christians are habitual cheaters and betrayers.

by destroying the meaning of the @Twitter blue verification check, in public, where everyone could see what he was doing, @elonmusk gave us a unique opportunity to study just what trust is all about, and why it matters so much that Musk destroyed the value of Twitter's good name.

that's what @elonmusk's mismanagement of @Twitter has achieved: the destruction of a corporate brand, in real time. this is *history*, friends.

#capitalism has few ideas, but among the most important of its few tenets is _brand integrity_, which @elonmusk has destroyed.

@elonmusk has given #journalism and #history a great gift: he's a case study in what happens when a big corporate brand like @Twitter loses its brand integrity. Mr. Musk? I have good news: you're going to be famous. (you too, Mr. @mtaibbi, for related reasons.)

~Mona Drafter

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