Elon Musk has publicly taken aim at Paul Graham, co-founder of the influential startup incubator Y Combinator, over his comments on the Twitter rebranding to X. Graham, known for his insights on the tech world, had expressed a rather neutral opinion on the name change, stating that it neither seemed to have helped nor harmed the platform. He simply concluded, “So it was a waste of time and a domain name.”
Musk, however, was not amused by Graham’s assessment, succinctly responding with, “You know nothing.” This terse retort reflects the heightened sensitivity around the rebranding and Musk’s ongoing efforts to transform Twitter into a more ambitious “everything app.”
The exchange between Musk and Graham underscores the larger conversation surrounding the changes at Twitter, now X, under Musk’s leadership since his acquisition in 2022. While Graham had previously acknowledged improvements at Twitter since Musk’s takeover, concerns persist regarding issues like online harassment and mob mentality.
Musk, however, has repeatedly downplayed these concerns, likening them to “water off a duck’s back.” He’s also attributed much of the criticism towards him to his immense wealth and his penchant for making controversial statements. This public spat between two prominent figures in the tech world further illuminates the ongoing debate surrounding the future of Twitter and its direction under Musk’s leadership.
