- Joined
- Feb 7, 2015
I do think Twitter handled the matter correctly. They didn't give her the attention from them she craved. They just ignored her until she got cold and bored and had to have to cops cut her loose from the door. I think she was hoping she'd be arrested so she could be a free-speech martyr. Instead, all she did was make herself look dumb. Yeah, like you said, she still got her name out there, but she's now "that weird girl who cuffed herself to Twitter HQ" rather than "that brave soul who got arrested trying to hold Twitter accountable for censorship." It's the same principle Russell Greer operates on on. He just wants recognition from the subject of his desires (Taylor Swift in his case), and even negative attention will do at this point, it still means Taylor noticed him. So far it's been radio silence from her camp, which is the correct response. Loony Laura obviously wanted to get the attention of the Twitter higher ups, especially Jack Dorsey and she got nothing except possibly a cold.Attention is currency on the internet. Which is what I think Tim Pool was suggesting in his tweets, rather than defending Laura. She garnered a lot of attention, and even though it was mostly negative it still is a net benefit to her that her name is more well-known, even for the stupidest reasons. In the age of personal branding and celebrity activists, she's now got: more brand recognition, a better reputation with a small but potentially fruitful group of right-wing commentators that she can parlay into more media attention, and a way of keeping her name current on Twitter even when she's banned from it.
Sideshow freaks and loud assholes draw attention, which draws potential revenue streams, which encourages the whole fetid cycle. She looked like a complete moron, but as long as she keeps saying the right things her tribe won't care.