At the moment, social media is in chaos. More specifically, Twitter is in chaos: Ever since Elon Musk became the platform’s official owner, he’s been making changes, most of which have not been well-received. Most notably, verification is now a feature that users can pay for, which led to funny/misleading posts from checkmark-bearing accounts posing as entities like LeBron James and Nintendo.
On a somewhat related note, Grimes, with whom Musk has two children, just shared an interesting theory on social media and the impact it has had on literature.
Last night, a Twitter user wrote, “Most of the time I don’t like starting fiction books (that aren’t sequels to books I’ve already read). This is true even when I’m pretty sure I’m going to like the book ~50 pages in. I’ve tried skimming and it’s fine but doesn’t really solve the issue. Anyone have more ideas?” Grimes responded, “I think social media has given us emotional investment burnout. We’re only supposed to know 150 ppl how are we meant to become emotionally invested to the degree a novel demands. Was easier b4 all this. Nonfiction still readable for this reason.”
Most of the time I don’t like starting fiction books (that aren’t sequels to books I’ve already read).
This is true even when I’m pretty sure I’m going to like the book ~50 pages in.
I’ve tried skimming and it’s fine but doesn’t really solve the issue. Anyone have more ideas?
— Divia Eden
(@diviacaroline) November 10, 2022
I think social media has given us emotional investment burnout. We’re only supposed to know 150 ppl how are we meant to become emotionally invested to the degree a novel demands. Was easier b4 all this. Nonfiction still readable for this reason
— 𝔊𝔯𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 (@Grimezsz) November 10, 2022
These thoughts on social media are about the closest Grimes has come to publicly commenting on Musk’s Twitter takeover, as she hasn’t shared any thoughts about it yet.