After a period of contemplation, which is to say I’ve thought about it a bit, I’ve decided not to close down my twitter/X account. Like many of you, I have been appalled at what it is has become under right-wing propagandist Leon Skum – sorry, Elon Musk – and frankly I want nothing to do with it. Previously my favourite social media platform, it’s sadly become a cesspit of filth, lies, far right politics and hatred. These are reasons why you might have expected me to close my account. However, it’s more complicated than that, at least for me.
I’ve been using the Eclectic Blue moniker for something like 25 years now. It started off as the highly amusing (well, I thought it was) title of my column in the award-winning Bristol Rovers matchday programme, The Pirate (deceased), a play on words, referencing a series of adult videos from the 1980s, and has morphed into this blog. Eclectic Blue has become a large part of what and who I am and I do not want to give it up anytime soon. This is a reason I am not getting rid of my twitter account.
Another reason is that if I scrap the account, it is entirely possible someone without, let’s say, my soggy liberal left of centre, woke politics, might take it over. I would be mortified if the name I worked hard to establish, albeit with relatively little success, was taken up by someone with the politics of, for example, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon or Nigel Farage. Unlikely, I know, but too horrifying to contemplate and risk.
I’ve decided to pop by twitter on an occasional basis, to check out what’s going on, to see if there are unexpected messages from decent folk and generally to keep the handle alive. I might on occasion post from time to time, but if I do I doubt that it will be to debate politics, just a glance of accounts I like.
So, I’m there on twitter/X but if you really, really want me, I’m more likely to be active on the excellent Bluesky. It would be very nice to see you there, too.
