Irish Examiner view: Flogging a dead bird

Tue, 25 Jul, 2023 - 01:45

So, ‘Larry’ is gone and been replaced by a “minimalist art deco” X. Larry, of course, is the name of Twitter’s famous blue bird logo but, like so many little birds before him, including the dodo, he is now extinct.

Elon Musk, who bought Twitter for $44bn last October, has decreed that the social media platform will retire the blue bird logo — and eventually the Twitter name — with ‘X’ becoming the company’s new identity.

He has repeatedly spoken of his desire to make the global conversation platform an “everything app” that would include a payment system as well as communications. The X concept is modelled on the Chinese WeChat app which allows users perform multiple functions from messaging to ordering a taxi and paying bills.

In June 2022, Musk reportedly told staff: “You basically live on WeChat in China. If we can recreate that with Twitter, we’ll be a great success.”

Like many of his claims, it seems outsized, especially as the company has a negative cashflow and advertising revenue is down 50% since he took control.

Given that he has shed three-quarters of Twitter’s staff since taking over, as well as throwing out past rules on disinformation campaigns and personally engaged with accounts previously suspended for hate speech, his latest move smacks somewhat of desperation as the company seemingly moves towards cold, hard functionality rather than the softer associations it enjoyed.

But the move reflects a greater global trend away from social media and the sudden stagnation of the so many platforms is symptomatic of the growing stasis in the sector. That people are increasingly tuned into “real” issues such as climate change has also contributed to its lack of muscle.

A rebranding exercise may not stop a seemingly inexorable slide.

Uniting in a bid to stymie the far right

Spain’s general election at the weekend produced an inconclusive result, but what it did show was that, when unlikely political alliances merge for a united front, they can stymie the ambitions of populist, sexist, belligerent, and sometimes extremist players.

A voter chatting with polling centre staff in Barcelona on Sunday. Spain's general election proved again that when people and parties unite, they can see off the populist and misogynist far right. Picture: Joan Mateu Parra/AP

While neither the conservative People’s Party nor the socialist PSOE party secured a majority, the prediction that the PP, in tandem with the hard-right Vox party, would sail into government proved wrong.

The far-left Sumar alliance, led by Podemos party leader Yolanda Diaz, made enough gains to prevent a fascist element in government in Madrid for the first time since the Franco era, although the formation of an administration may still be some way off.

In India last week, the idea that political opponents can club together to fend off a populist leader became a reality when the leaders of 26 opposition parties united to try and oust the country’s prime minister, Narendra Modi.

This coalition, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) marked a significant shift in the relationship between the country’s main national and regional opposition parties who could never previously agree on anything much.

Power struggles, personality clashes, and ideological differences had dogged any coherent opposition attempt to break the grip of Modi’s BJP party on power through two election cycles, but now consensus had been reached to allow the new coalition to at least try.

Modi and the BJP are looking for a third term in office in the next general election in May 2024. The new grouping includes Rahul Gandhi’s Congress party and powerful regional parties such as Trinamool Congress, which rules the West Bengal state under popular leader Mamata Banerjee, and the Aam Aadmi party, which governs Delhi and Punjab.

As part of the agreement — and unlike in the past when the Congress party asserted its dominance in the opposition groupings — the bigger parties will accept lesser roles in order to try and force change. To this end, Congress has said it is not interested in the prime ministerial post.

According to a document drawn up at a meeting in Bengaluru, the INDIA grouping said it had come together to “defeat the hatred and violence being manufactured against minorities” under the Hindu nationalist policies of the BJP.

A full election strategy will be drawn up in the coming months, but the new grouping has a big job on its hands to oust Modi and the BJP. The willingness of the opposition to club together for the greater good is a salutary lesson to political groupings fighting populism and extremism the world over. We saw something of that in Spain at the weekend and it is the sort of political evolution which could yet play a part in shaping the political landscape in Ireland too.

Treaty treat

Although the thought may be repugnant to the people of hurling strongholds elsewhere, Limerick’s victory on Sunday in the All-Ireland final seems to indicate it might be some time before the Treaty County is usurped.

Limerick's Dan Morrissey seeks to control the sliotar as Kilkenny’s Martin Keoghan takes flight to snatch it from him — just one moment in last Sunday's extraordinary All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final. Picture: James Crombie/Inpho

Limerick’s second-half dominance, in which they scored remarkable points from all areas of the pitch, over a gritty Kilkenny indicated to many that, with a fourth consecutive title in the bag, ousting John Kiely’s pre-eminent side will be a task of somewhat mammoth proportions.

Although at times this season Limerick looked vulnerable — both Cork and Clare will reflect on missed opportunities — they always seemed to have the edge in terms of self-belief and sheer talent to overcome each and any side they faced.

In pictures: Limerick hurlers receive hero's welcome

Quite where their momentum will propel them to in the future — five, six in a row? — what is obvious is it will take a mighty effort to dethrone them.

But then, Limerick’s success is a lesson in grit, determination, significant investment in talent, and pragmatism from which many can learn. As of right now, those ambitious — nay, jealous — others have a lot of learning to do.

Irish Examiner view: The second hand of destiny is still ticking

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