From 2009 to 2016, I worked in politics and saw a variety of my friends cancelled - careers completely destroyed because of one post. The experience gave me PTSD from social media for multiple years. A story or defeat and rebirth 👇 

Accompanying listening track:

From 2009 to 2016, I worked in politics and saw a variety of my friends cancelled - careers completely destroyed because of one post. The experience gave me PTSD from social media for multiple years. A story or defeat and rebirth 👇 

Accompanying listening track: https://open.spotify.com/track/59QNyVtGhYoDnpO6T1e4yR?si=905c1b85bde5497f

The key question of the 21st century is what will humans become? 

Crypto lawyer - 
Founder, Renno & Co...

Using law to drive blockchain & DeAI adoption.

A high profile formal politician picked up the tweet, and proceeded to dunk all over my colleague, it was picked up by some bona fide news media, as our respective positions within the party were high enough for it to be deemed as news. A shit storm commenced.

Days later, the party brass told us (the executive committee I was a part of) that this person had to go.

I had to inform my friend that they needed to tender their resignation. She was devastated and felt betrayed.

"It was one silly tweet, I'm really sorry, does this have to come to this"

I was speechless. I felt horrible. I was effectively ending this person's career in politics... over a tweet.

Indeed, my friend left politics. Never to come back. She is thriving now, which is great...but this left a lasting impression on me, as I really cared about my career.

Every tweet or post I wanted to make was viewed in the light of "is this cancellable?"

In reality, any tweet with any edge or insightfulness could be viewed as such. 

So I started tweeting boring, banal ass BS. No soul, no authenticity. 

It was not me.

Trump became president in 2016, and I went down an alt-right rabbit hole trying to ensure that I need not suffer from a liberal media bubble.

It was a real cesspool, and that was the final straw. I don't need this. I quit social media.

Between now and then, I read a lot, matured, and worked on overcoming this fear. 

As my beliefs vision and crystallized, and started asking myself: "would you die for what you believe in" 

If the answer was yes, then what was there to fear?

The fear of being judged, cancelled, or to be made a fool is still there, but it overpowered by my sense of wanting to speak out and make my voice heard. 

X is still a nightmare (though a necessary evil) but I sense that I will be much more at home here, on warpcast. 

Thanks to everyone creating an amazing virtual town square ✌️ 

Happy to join it ❤️

Sometime in 2014ish, a close friend and colleague posted a post on twitter that could be seen as disparaging the Roma people in their home country. The tweet was not cool, but they were venting the frustrations of their grandparents.