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🧵 Thread (69 tweets)

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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago

news sites have clearly learned how to use a variant of cunningham's law ("the best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question; it's to post the wrong answer") in order to maximize engagement and traffic

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2/1/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

news sites that (appear to) get things wrong will get more traffic than news sites that get it right

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2/1/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

this suggests to me that news will only get more infuriating as time goes on

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2/1/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

example that is, IMO, clearly set up to piss people off via deliberate omission in the title the article itself, of course, makes sure to talk about it but the point is that this approach gets more traffic than if you include it in the title and forget to piss people off https://t.co/soU1aolYC4

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2/1/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

"Lauren Ipsum wins award" 5 RTs, 13 likes - "SAY HER NAME, $NEWSORG" ___________________ | | |"Woman wins award"| |___________________| 17,325 RTs, 64,523 Likes

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2/1/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

not saying her name seems to have become the best way to get people to know her name

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2/1/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

it might even make sense for a news org to have a critic on the payroll. "we'll tweet this, then you outrage-QT it" but i'm guessing that's not even necessary, because lots of people are eager and willing to outrage-QT for free

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2/1/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

This whole state of affairs is clearly not in the public's best interest, but that is going to be very difficult to change, because https://t.co/T7CHKdcyKz

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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvalmost 7 years ago

The public is insufficiently educated on how to be a good public

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2/2/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

What's wild is, the media is arguably the primary means by which the public *is* educated. So what we have here is a case of a miseducated public further miseducating itself, via a process that is catalyzed by a misincentivized media [Quote from @alaindebotton's book, News] https://t.co/FB711gp7CZ

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2/2/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

Btw Matt Yglesias is a coward who consistently tweets terrible takes & then deletes his tweets afterwards. Every time I see him appear on my feed I am embarrassed for him. I've been procrastinating on this tweet, because it's not a nice thing to say about someone... but it's true

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2/2/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

Believe it or not when I was a kid I actually wanted to “work in the media”. It seemed like a noble profession. Like being a real-time librarian. I feel like rule #1 of being a good “media person” is to keep meticulous, publicly accessible/verifiable records. Never delete

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2/2/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

Lol I made an unintentional typo and it’s a chance to demonstrate what I mean. If you have tweeted something untrue, and it’s being spread, you can delete it - but screenshot first and explain why https://t.co/h2Cu4X3qK7

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2/2/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

(I meant errenous, not strenuous. Lol at autocorrect) If the public stopped paying attention to cowards with no intellectual integrity, it wouldn’t be necessary to call them out Alas, the public (in aggregate) is an idiot. I’m sorry but it’s true

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2/2/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

This is a cute and wholesome version of this method in use https://t.co/wht51bpEw7

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2/18/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

Same tactic well-used to market a dating show https://t.co/wVmzj2FVA9

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2/18/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

all instances of male parenting will henceforth be described as babysitting https://t.co/zQMVCWY1nw

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2/19/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

17. Indeed that’s the nature of the game at this point and there’s probably no turning back; if anything it’s going to get worse and everybody’s going to keep doing it more and more https://t.co/xL0sOSgXhA

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3/13/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

18. holmes is not actually that interesting, but the media has to pretend that she is anyway, this is clever marketing https://t.co/FqdCrA3lBn

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3/20/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

19. lol https://t.co/GXaHIse20y

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3/24/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

20. Optimising for engagement means filming and producing more train wrecks. The wreckage will continue to get more spectacular as time goes on https://t.co/Vb4K3ileJi

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3/26/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

21. “Still feel average” https://t.co/cZjPZFnlan

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3/26/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

22. It’s funny to consider that commenters like this do it for free https://t.co/EN0fG4iddh

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3/27/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

23. perfect setup https://t.co/YNg292vHQ0

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3/31/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

24. SSC's Toxoplasma of Rage becomes more relevant with each passing day https://t.co/TQ3cykdJJN

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4/8/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

If you haven't read it, read it. The core, IMO: media environments are incentivized to find the most divisive issues possible, & get everyone to fight about it. Few talk about Vegan Outreach (very responsible, sensible charity), everyone talks about PETA https://t.co/nv92kOR7vM

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4/8/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

25. this dilemma is going to keep getting more intense and more pronounced. Bunch of people showing up in the replies to say "so?" "why does that matter?" – but it would never have gotten on their radar otherwise https://t.co/iCSaEe9D66

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4/8/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

26. “the shooter” 😏 https://t.co/XUiQhmSeqd

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4/18/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

27. Pretending to discover Asian food (and then only mentioning midway in the video, and not at all in the tweet or headline) is a very reliable outrage generator https://t.co/CEuWxUf6fv

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5/25/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvabout 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

28. I wonder if the researchers were earnest? I think 70% chance they were. And I'm 99% sure whoever at WaPo published this, did so gleefully knowing that people would show up to fight in the replies and comments sections. https://t.co/mwMvFm3t8A

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6/9/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvabout 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

29. Every media org must now be hungrily hiring writers who can help them get ratio’d on demand https://t.co/JUTSVNWYZV

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6/17/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvabout 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

30. https://t.co/ZIbZBZMPvb

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6/17/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvabout 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

31. this tweet itself is bait 😂 (see the replies) https://t.co/8yMumYsudR

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6/30/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvabout 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

32. "air conditioning is sexist" *chef's kiss*

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7/8/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvabout 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

Yes and! Because of the way it’s structured, and because of the users it selects for, Twitter is basically an engine that incentivizes the production and distribution of such outrage https://t.co/7hd5wemgsx

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7/8/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvabout 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

33. quote-tweeting always fans the flame; be mindful of this and quote-tweet responsibly https://t.co/MyVCuriRJF

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8/12/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvabout 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

34. perfect example of “everything will only get more infuriating” - you *know* people are going to call her a hypocrite, that’s where the engagement is. Could’ve published a less contentious alternative... but then what will we fight about? https://t.co/1XtImK8FdW

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8/15/2019
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Eason C 🖤🌱 Suomessa 🇫🇮@easoncxzabout 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

@visakanv Nobody needed to react to that HuffPost. I need not even react to your tweet. Yet we can only hear words; we cannot hear silence.

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8/15/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvabout 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

35. Serena beat Sharapova 19 out of 21 times. 😂 Then why choose this picture? Read the replies (h/t @IshaWrites for the find) https://t.co/fZxjICIKhs

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8/27/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvabout 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

36. https://t.co/NQ0dGufFUc https://t.co/Kg5cHDAHea

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8/30/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvabout 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

37. incidentally, PPG is great entertainment and I moderately recommend it https://t.co/OsWFR7VI1w

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9/6/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvalmost 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

38. the bait can be brazenly obvious and people will still take it (see replies) https://t.co/pEE284X4XM

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9/11/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvalmost 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

38b. https://t.co/5K8a94zJZy

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9/12/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvalmost 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

39. “... But the US anti-hate group says the "overwhelming usage" of the hand gesture today is still to show approval or that someone is OK.” can’t mention that in the tweet though, of course https://t.co/OTdRD8bEBg

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9/27/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvalmost 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

40. https://t.co/KE1xbSTc2I

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10/15/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvalmost 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

41. I can't be the only person to whom this is glaringly obvious "sack your sub-editor" – no, give them a raise https://t.co/56qOt1H9Vj https://t.co/CYAthmEWNI

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10/19/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvalmost 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

42. https://t.co/NhyJztJ0CT https://t.co/k06TnT59XI

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10/19/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvalmost 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

43. “drawback” https://t.co/uE0odJvDR7 https://t.co/MHQjvU4OwQ

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10/24/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvalmost 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

44. “end of friendly generational relations” 😉 quoted_tweet_id:1189214091979694082 https://t.co/aAPDnQk2JK

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10/31/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvalmost 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

45. this is a perfect eg of what I meant by “the news is going to get more infuriating”. This trend is not going to reverse quoted_tweet_id:1191785650435088385 https://t.co/Ix7qTUZOal

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11/9/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvalmost 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

46. a dunk from dictionary dot com must surely deserve a special sticker or something quoted_tweet_id:1194133986186018816 https://t.co/uxDMwIKpqI

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11/17/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvalmost 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

47. I'm getting in on this one early – it currently has 130 RTs (most of CNBC's tweets seem to have less than 20 RTs), but I feel like this one is going to go at least to 600-700 RTs, maybe over 1,000. Dunking on "idiot analysts" is too fun quoted_tweet_id:1196031758145339393 https://t.co/TRjPGrFGNL

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11/17/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvalmost 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

48. weird as it sounds, and unfair as it is, the more @NobelPrize pretends that they don't know why Jocelyn Bell Burnell didn't get the prize, the more people will ultimately learn about her, her accomplishment and the injustice of her being snubbed https://t.co/NERGlycdzH

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11/29/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 5 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

@NobelPrize 49. And the followup question would be, "if we won't get owned for this, what changes do we need to make so that we *do* get owned?" https://t.co/TrrwtKaQqg

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12/12/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 5 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

50. Now people tag QuotedReplies in the tweet so you can see for yourself all the people who volunteer to do free marketing. 😂 Note that Brian says “Indonesian fried rice” in the video- which pretty much confirms that “resembling” is 100% bait https://t.co/C1a4g5c6Nu https://t.co/LawjNjyXAU

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12/31/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvalmost 5 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

51. wapo social media team destroys wapo credibility. hope the engagement is worth it! (the volunteer got a placebo and died of covid) https://t.co/fRY4cT00VL https://t.co/UnOPkuyTAi

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10/22/2020
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 5 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

50. Now people tag QuotedReplies in the tweet so you can see for yourself all the people who volunteer to do free marketing. 😂 Note that Brian says “Indonesian fried rice” in the video- which pretty much confirms that “resembling” is 100% bait https://t.co/C1a4g5c6Nu https://t.co/LawjNjyXAU

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12/31/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvalmost 5 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

51. wapo social media team destroys wapo credibility. hope the engagement is worth it! (the volunteer got a placebo and died of covid) https://t.co/fRY4cT00VL https://t.co/UnOPkuyTAi

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10/22/2020
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Eason C 🖤🌱 Suomessa 🇫🇮@easoncxzabout 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

@visakanv Do you consider yourself in or near the "rationality" community (if there is such a thing)? I've seen so much good content coming from SSC et al. and it must be amazing being near that social circle.

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9/6/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvabout 6 years ago
Replying to @easoncxz

@easoncxz I have friends from there but I'm more of a nomad passing through than a part of the cluster

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9/6/2019
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Guy HAS FINISHED WRITING THE BOOK (BETA)@nosilvervalmost 5 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

@visakanv Ok so at this it’s more like companies are actively trolling you for clicks and this is just a straight up adversarial situation

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10/22/2020
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Guy HAS FINISHED WRITING THE BOOK (BETA)@nosilvervalmost 5 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

@visakanv Ok I know this is off topic but holy shot that was painful to watch lol, I’m glad he got dragged in the comments

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10/22/2020
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvalmost 5 years ago
Replying to @nosilverv

@nosilverv everything will only get more painful to watch

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10/22/2020
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Eason C 🖤🌱 Suomessa 🇫🇮@easoncxzabout 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

@visakanv tfw you laught but it's because the world is a joke… 🙃

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9/6/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvabout 6 years ago
Replying to @easoncxz

@easoncxz https://t.co/BHs4h146oU

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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 9 years ago

One must imagine Sisyphus LOL-ing

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9/6/2019
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Eason C 🖤🌱 Suomessa 🇫🇮@easoncxzabout 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

@visakanv One day, Visa, I'll tweet something which you can't reply with the wit of one of your old tweets. It's not gonna be easy, but you just wait. 😂

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9/6/2019
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Malcolm Ocean 🏴‍☠️@Malcolm_Oceanover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

@visakanv https://t.co/TpWJ4bvmWD

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Malcolm Ocean 🏴‍☠️@Malcolm_Oceanover 6 years ago

To take Visa's excellent example: If you're a person who is reading this tweet & currently has a habit of saying "say her name, newsorg" ➡️every time you would do that, instead, find another newsorg covering that story WITH her name and RT that. (& maybe block/mute 1st newsorg)

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2/1/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @Malcolm_Ocean

@Malcolm_Ocean ha I was just going to post this as a reply. yes, this is the right thing to do

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2/1/2019
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Malcolm Ocean 🏴‍☠️@Malcolm_Oceanover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

@visakanv I learn from you ;)

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2/1/2019
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Malcolm Ocean 🏴‍☠️@Malcolm_Oceanover 6 years ago
Replying to @Malcolm_Ocean

@visakanv Re: deeply intertwingled uses of twitter, I've been musing for 1-2y about wanting to build a better twitter client (that might eventually try to become its own thing, although network fx) that would natively support some of the interlinking stuff you do. Let's talk sometime.

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2/1/2019
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Visakan Veerasamy@visakanvover 6 years ago
Replying to @Malcolm_Ocean

@Malcolm_Ocean anytime

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2/1/2019
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Malcolm Ocean 🏴‍☠️@Malcolm_Oceanover 6 years ago
Replying to @visakanv

@visakanv https://t.co/dVtJCTJi1l

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Malcolm Ocean 🏴‍☠️@Malcolm_Oceanover 6 years ago

With everything you do, ask yourself: What am I feeding? What am I incentivising? What am I adding energy to by paying attention to it? It's not always obvious. It requires learning to ignore what you don't want & exalt what you do want. https://t.co/mEcfrnhkJT

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2/1/2019