Jack Dorsey is not bothered about patriarchy because he is busy selling deep divisiveness
It is difficult to put one’s finger on when exactly patriarchy started taking root in human societies, but it has to be said that patriarchy is a very egalitarian concept, in the sense that it exists in all societies, religions, cultures and countries without any exception.
Black men are as patriarchal as their white counterparts; American men are as unfair to women as their Indian counterparts, and Brahmins as patriarchal as Kshatriyas, or Dalits, or men who follow Christianity or Islam, or Judaism.
Of course, the degree of this male domination over women varies because women in certain parts found their voices and fought back, while in other regions, they are still struggling to do that.
It is a fact that Twitter’s chief operating officer Jack Dorsey is well aware of. He is, after all, the global head of a social media platform that has nearly 335 million active users — which is more than the population of the US (325 million), or Russia (144.5 million) or Japan (126.8 million) for that matter. He travels the world and interacts with many different kinds of people. He for sure knows that patriarchy is not a regional, communal or sectarian problem.
For Dorsey to then hold a placard reading: ‘Smash Brahminical Patriarchy’ and pose for a photograph is a calculated move to stoke divisiveness, which is what Twitter feeds on. Let’s face it, what gives Twitter the popularity it enjoys is division, clash, even hate. For the platform to work, it needs engagement — and it gets engagement by stoking outrage.
During Twitter CEO @jack's visit here, he & Twitter's Legal head @vijaya took part in a round table with some of us women journalists, activists, writers & @TwitterIndia's @amritat to discuss the Twitter experience in India. A very insightful, no-words-minced conversation ???? pic.twitter.com/LqtJQEABgV
— Anna MM Vetticad (@annavetticad) November 18, 2018
All varieties of fanatics, conspiracy theorists and eccentrics find space on Twitter. The platform is best suited for people with extreme opinions because extremism evokes reactions.
If everyone agreed with everyone, they wouldn’t need Twitter.
If everyone politely disagreed with everyone, Twitter would fail to spread its reach and its user base.
But if people bitterly disagreed with each other, they can always use Twitter to spew venom and feel better, till more venom is spewed on them.
If Dorsey would have just held a placard saying, ‘Smash Patriarchy’, it would have largely gone unnoticed.
Bad business!
Since around 2014, India has seen its existing divisions find vent on Twitter. The harshest, meanest and most scathing terms are fished out of dictionaries — even thesaurii — to put down opponents, demolish narratives and build new ones. Those defending old narratives are no less acerbic.
Dorsey knew he could capitalise on this division. He knew he had points to score — all he needed to do was choose a side.
He chose his.
Twitter’s managers and spokespeople repeatedly maintain that they are doing everything to ensure civility. So, in keeping with the traditions of new-age civility — which believes in provoking by letting placards do the talking — Dorsey held one too.
Twitter has since apologised and disassociated itself from what the placard read. But not before stirring up a hornet’s nest.
It is not a statement from Twitter or our CEO, but a tangible reflection of our company's efforts to see, hear, and understand all sides of important public conversations that happen on our service around the world.
— Twitter India (@TwitterIndia) November 19, 2018
Twitter India said the poster was handed to Dorsey by a Dalit activist when it hosted a closed-door discussion with a group of women to know more about their experience using Twitter.
Recently we hosted a closed door discussion with a group of women journalists and change makers from India to better understand their experience using Twitter. One of the participants, a Dalit activist, shared her personal experiences and gifted a poster to Jack. https://t.co/96gd3XmFgK
— Twitter India (@TwitterIndia) November 19, 2018
Twitter’s sudden ‘realisation of its mistake’ is just as calculated as the ‘mistake’ itself.
Dorsey and his team know India is a nation of 1.3 billion people and internet penetration is only deepening. The use of the platform is expected to grow sharply in the coming months as political parties try to expand their reach to voters ahead of a general election in 2019.
The mistake and the subsequent apology mean everyone’s welcome to Twitter, to differ acrimoniously, to argue and to abuse incessantly.
In doing so, Dorsey has proved Richard Branson, who said hatred is a wasted emotion, wrong.
Spreading hatred is good business.
And Dorsey is nothing but a businessman, who seems to believe that the ends justify the means.