David Robb

Proud Scot, husband & father. Chair Aberlour CCT. Born at 319.65 ppm. Musk has me moving to: - come on over…

[David Robb @DavidRobb22]

@iMiaSanMia @Transfermarkt It’s “fewer”… 😉

[Aberlour Children's Charity @AberlourCCT]

📢Announcement📢
Today our CEO, SallyAnn Kelly OBE, announces her retirement from Aberlour. Read a message from our Chair, David Robb. #ThankYou SallyAnn.

[David Robb @DavidRobb22]

#xodus

[George Monbiot @GeorgeMonbiot]

This is my farewell post. I am not deleting this account, as I don’t want to lose the archive, and I don’t want my name taken by imposters. But, for as long as Musk owns the platform, I’ll no longer use it. I’m now posting at https://t.co/0iVBaQEKGy.

Since Elon Musk bought this site, he has transformed it from one on which millions could converse as equals into his personal megaphone. Now the world’s richest man uses it to wage his class war, transferring blame for the ills of capitalism onto vulnerable minorities, boosting the grimmest and most antisocial accounts while suppressing the humane voices with whom he disagrees.

He has used X not only to subvert the election for the US presidency, but to create a role for himself in US politics which, though he has never stood for election and would not be eligible, grants him immense power over the citizens of that nation. This site has been used as a tool to help replace democracy with oligarchy.

Musk claimed, on purchasing the platform, to be a “free speech absolutist”. He is in fact a prolific censor, suspending dissenting accounts and using lawsuits to shut down free speech, while employing an algorithm to increase the reach of his own posts 1,000-fold. He cannot abide a level playing field.

He has permitted or encouraged the growth of a ghost army of bots and trolls to degrade the experience of all who disagree with him. Their task is not just to abuse opponents but, perhaps more importantly, to drown intelligent conversation with a tsunami of stupidity. They respond to data with denial, expertise with execration, insight with insult, humour with hatred and thinking with thuggery. They suck the meaning out of everything. The stupidity trends in one direction: in the service of economic power. It is a weapon used to suppress the possibility of a better world.

Many years ago, when I lived in Brazil, I learnt that the military dictatorship had actively sought to suppress educational levels in schools, as it saw a well-informed population as a political threat. A confused, distracted and ignorant population is easy to manipulate. Now this counter-educational model is being rolled out worldwide, and Elon Musk is its primary sponsor.

I stayed here long after I first considered leaving, as I believed it was wrong to cede the ground to an oligarch and his minions. But I came to see that those of us who do not subscribe to Musk’s grim project are being used as groundbait: stimulating the feeding frenzy of 15-minute, 24-hour hate that now powers this platform. We can no longer build anything of value here. Brute force – the unmediated power of money – has beaten humanity, intelligence, humour and democracy.

On Bluesky I can be the person I want to be, a better person than I am on X, where it is almost impossible not to get dragged into the mud. I feel I can be understood because I am not confronting a deliberate effort to misunderstand me. So I can speak more quietly.

There is no guarantee that Bluesky will not also one day be monetised by its owners or captured by self-serving billionaires. But for now it remains a place in which interesting and enjoyable conversations can be had, kindness can be shown to strangers and a better world can be imagined. I hope to see you there.

[David Robb @DavidRobb22]

C’mon Scotland! #SCOvPOR

[David Robb @DavidRobb22]

@SallyAnnKelly1 It’s a beauty - sail carefully! 🤣

[David Robb @DavidRobb22]

A truly beautiful day… #ForthWatch

[David Robb @DavidRobb22]

A wee #ForthWatch treat after a cycle trip to sunny North Queensferry ☀️

[James Murray @James_BG]

In a competitive field this is one of the worst things I have ever read on climate change and net zero. A complete failure to understand either the pace of the clean tech revolution or the severity of the climate crisis. It is tacit climate denial and defeatism in equal measure.

[David Robb @DavidRobb22]

@gibbsgirl21 (((X)))

[David Robb @DavidRobb22]

#ForthWatch Steely Sunday 🙂

[David Robb @DavidRobb22]

We have up to five vacancies - great opportunities for people ready to ‘Be Brave’ for Scotland’s children by joining the Board of Scotland’s leading children’s charity. Please consider and/or pass on to anyone who you think would be interested 😊

[David Robb @DavidRobb22]

We have up to five vacancies - great opportunities for people ready to ‘Be Brave’ for Scotland’s children by joining the Board of Scotland’s leading children’s charity. Please consider and/or pass on to anyone who you think would be interested 😊

[Aberlour Children's Charity @AberlourCCT]

🌟 Join Aberlour’s Board of Trustees! 🌟
Are you passionate about transforming the lives of children and families across Scotland? Aberlour is seeking dedicated individuals to join our Board and help us achieve our ambitious goals.
https://t.co/NxsT4ruS36

[David Robb @DavidRobb22]

Approaching Eze on the Côte d’Azur #MedWatch 🇫🇷

[David Robb @DavidRobb22]

Beautiful Vernazza, one of the Cinque Terre on the Ligurian coast in Italy #MedWatch 🇮🇹😉

[David Robb @DavidRobb22]

@MangoJett @AberdeenFC I miss Warnock… (NOT!!!) 😉

[David Robb @DavidRobb22]

😁#StandFree

[Jim B @Jim_B_71]

5 league wins from 5. 10 wins from 10 overall. Another double for the league’s top scorer Pape Guèye & another assist for Shayden Morris, 2 players many of us had written off. And only the 14 points clear of the famous Jam Tarts and Killie. What a start for Jimmy T.🥳⚽️🥅👏🏻🇸🇪

[Corra Foundation @corrascot]

OPEN NOW 🕊️ Henry Duncan Grants, unrestricted funding for women-led orgs that support women & girls within their communities.

50% of available funding is for women-led Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic Orgs.

All info on our website here: https://t.co/kRRZz1tgSj

[David Robb @DavidRobb22]

Very powerful to hear from two of the Mums who have been supported by the service in Falkirk 🙌 Thanks to all partners & supporters 💛💚💙

[Aberlour Children's Charity @AberlourCCT]

About to kick off our Keeping the Promise for families in recovery parliamentary reception sponsored by @haughey_clare #keepthepromise

[La Vuelta @lavuelta]

Here are the start times for the GC favourites and main contenders for the stage! 👀 Who are you most looking forward to seeing?

¡Estos son los horarios de los favoritos y hombres importantes de la CG! 👀 ¿Quién tienes más ganas de ver?

#LaVuelta24