Very smart people are incredibly dumb when it comes to doing things in public. Elon Musk is following a long tradition and constant problem for comms people.
To engage with the premise for a sec: (I don't know if I believe this, but I'm grappling with the concept). This might be an instance of new and horrible style of comms, the 'troll meme'. Instead of sensible or rational comms, it instead throws a ton of provocative stuff out. Some gets ignored, some catches fire. When there are flames you then double down and, in obviously bad faith, that it was just a joke, that you're missing the point, that no actually YOU are the nazi, whatever it is that stirs up engagement and outrage and free media. Only people who are immune to shame can perform this trick. And only people who don't mind whether the attention is positive or negative can perform this trick.
If we believe this, then there's an option C: he's neither evil nor awkwardly enthusiastic but both and neither and also here's a picture of Obama and can you believe these liberal crybabies and net result: look at me.
I do think, Andrew, that you are onto something there in terms of how the strategy works. And it does work very well. I think taking Greenland is a very good example of that in its own way. And yet if that was a frame for this act, I do think it didn't exactly backfire, it does fail on its own terms, since it is no fun for the supporters to run around claiming"It is a Roman salute". Half of the fun of your intuited approach as you point is that the supporters and fans can join in the trolling. They don't seem to be (I did seem a video of some person showing off her roman salutinr skills and it did not go well for her).
Hilarious and well-written article.
To engage with the premise for a sec: (I don't know if I believe this, but I'm grappling with the concept). This might be an instance of new and horrible style of comms, the 'troll meme'. Instead of sensible or rational comms, it instead throws a ton of provocative stuff out. Some gets ignored, some catches fire. When there are flames you then double down and, in obviously bad faith, that it was just a joke, that you're missing the point, that no actually YOU are the nazi, whatever it is that stirs up engagement and outrage and free media. Only people who are immune to shame can perform this trick. And only people who don't mind whether the attention is positive or negative can perform this trick.
If we believe this, then there's an option C: he's neither evil nor awkwardly enthusiastic but both and neither and also here's a picture of Obama and can you believe these liberal crybabies and net result: look at me.
I do think, Andrew, that you are onto something there in terms of how the strategy works. And it does work very well. I think taking Greenland is a very good example of that in its own way. And yet if that was a frame for this act, I do think it didn't exactly backfire, it does fail on its own terms, since it is no fun for the supporters to run around claiming"It is a Roman salute". Half of the fun of your intuited approach as you point is that the supporters and fans can join in the trolling. They don't seem to be (I did seem a video of some person showing off her roman salutinr skills and it did not go well for her).
Robin -- Nice to see you here. Will be following and restacking! I have one too. Check it out.