X Is Bad, Though

Lex Friedman opens by acknowledging admiration for John Gruber and his argument that X has regained cultural utility: the algorithm surfaces interesting people, Apple executives are posting there, and the platform remains the dominant microblogging service. Friedman accepts that usefulness but rejects the moral trade-off. He catalogs concrete instances of Elon Musk’s behavior - reposting antisemitic conspiracies, performing a Nazi salute and making Nazi puns, praising Germany’s far right, repeatedly deadnaming and misgendering his trans daughter, stripping X’s protections for trans users, releasing a chatbot that praised Hitler, urging a crowd to “fight back or die,” defaming a cave rescuer, amplifying conspiracy theories about the Paul Pelosi attack, labeling critics “traitors,” and comparing gender-affirming surgeons to Josef Mengele - to argue that Musk’s actions and rhetoric are corrosive and disqualifying.

Friedman admits he could use X despite those faults but chooses not to, framing it as a deliberate ethical decision rather than mere convenience. He discloses continued ownership of two older Teslas and plans to sell one, noting mixed feelings about product quality and past purchases, but insists he prefers missing online moments over funneling money or attention to someone he calls “a hateful asshole.” He concludes that abstaining from X costs some fun but yields clearer conscience and better sleep.