Musk Says He Bought Twitter Out Of Concern For 'Negative Direction'

Home>
People>

        Elon Musk Has Eyes Rolling With Latest Reasoning For Dropping $44 Billion To Buy Twitter
    

        JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images
    
The Twitter CEO told conference attendees in Paris that his real reasoning for buying Twitter was because he was concerned about the 'negative direction' the social media platform was headed in.
By AB KeithJun 21, 2023
AB Keith
AB Keith is an educator turned roadtripper who is currently teaching virtually while touring the USA.  Her dream is to visit all the national parks and create a series of nonfiction children's books about NP adventures through the eyes of her dog, Backpack Benny.
 See Full Bio 
Top Stories
AI Powered

        Gay Priest's Powerful Sermon About Love Between LGBTQ+ People Has The Internet Sobbing
    

        Xania Monet Sparks Debate After Becoming First 'AI Artist' To Debut On Billboard Chart
    

	Forget everything Elon Musk ever said about making Twitter profitable and turning it into a dominant social media force upon his purchase of the platform for $44 million last year.

	The company is now valued at $15 billion with a bleak forecast.

	It's not due to lack of effort, though. Musk did cut several task forces, laid off about 75% of its workforce and continues to attempt making money off of Twitter Blue subscriptions—largely to no avail.

	But forget all that.
Elon Musk didn't do it for the money, according to Elon Musk.

	The acquisition of the social media giant was for the good of mankind, as Musk was concerned about its negative impact on society. At least that's what he said at a conference in Paris on Friday.
According to Business Insider, Musk revealed his true motive behind the purchase.
“If I’m so smart, why did I pay so much for Twitter then?”“I was concerned Twitter was having a negative effect on civilization and corrosive effect on civil society, and anything that undermines civilization, I think, isn’t good."How noble.
“I felt Twitter kept moving in a negative direction and my hope and aspiration was for it to be a positive force for civilization.”\u201c"I was concerned Twitter was moving in a negative direction". \n\ud83e\udd14\ud83e\udded\u2b05\ufe0f\u27a1\ufe0f\nElon Musk at #VivaTech  answering why he decided to buy Twitter \n\nhttps://t.co/oiJ6tPY3pR @BusinessInsider\u201d
 — Maud Clerc (@Maud Clerc)
        1686995909
Of course, users of his own platform called out his alternative facts.
Many noted the platform has become an increasingly toxic space.
\u201c@cest_clerc @BusinessInsider Are you sure he didn't answer, "I was interested in \nmoving Twitter in a negative direction"?\u201d
 — Maud Clerc (@Maud Clerc)
        1686995909

\u201cThe answer is, seriously: he thought there were not enough nazis and fascist on twitter and wanted to do something about it.\nhttps://t.co/6yrD0S78JX\u201d
 — \u0411\u0430\u0439 \u041c\u0438\u0445\u0430\u043b (@\u0411\u0430\u0439 \u041c\u0438\u0445\u0430\u043b)
        1687021276

\u201c@TheTweetOfJohn So he thought it was a good idea to make it worse?\ud83e\udd37\u200d\u2640\ufe0f\ud83e\udd26\u200d\u2640\ufe0f\u201d
 — John FitzGerald (@John FitzGerald)
        1686967556

\u201c@TheTweetOfJohn @UROCKlive1 What a joke!\u201d
 — John FitzGerald (@John FitzGerald)
        1686967556

\u201c@TheTweetOfJohn @elonmusk so you made it more toxic and corrosive?  How does that help society.\u201d
 — John FitzGerald (@John FitzGerald)
        1686967556

\u201c@TheTweetOfJohn @UROCKlive1 He's as bad at rationalization as he is at business.\u201d
 — John FitzGerald (@John FitzGerald)
        1686967556

\u201c@SamanthaFlom @elonmusk You\u2019re a long way off @elonmusk\u201d
 — Samantha Flom (@Samantha Flom)
        1686957014

\u201c"I think if someone is a regular Twitter user, then most people would say their experience has improved," Musk said.<--I'm less suppressed now on Twitter, BUT see it as far more dangerous today because of the volume of bigotry, hatred & disinformation \n\nhttps://t.co/cGwk50zKaw\u201d
 — Jones Murphy (@Jones Murphy)
        1686989524

\u201coh, it\u2019s to save the world. riiiiiight. such altruism. \ud83e\udd23 https://t.co/HUzHkmVNxZ\u201d
 — iquanyin (@iquanyin)
        1686953885

\u201cMaybe @elonmusk has something of a sense of humour after all... @jyoti_mann1 reports for @BusinessInsider https://t.co/c6Jtf9FYNj\u201d
 — Chris Johnston (@Chris Johnston)
        1686936678

\u201cBecause your ego is bigger than your intellect?\nhttps://t.co/cnBm7qx55q\u201d
 — VeteranForDemocracy (@VeteranForDemocracy)
        1686961900

@danieldp/Twitter
\u201c@eefsgurl He bought Twitter because he was lonely and thought it would make him popular.\u201d
 — Eeefs aka phobos (@Eeefs aka phobos)
        1687112525
And Musk truly believes he's doing a stellar job.
"I think if someone is a regular Twitter user, then most people would say their experience has improved." "We've gotten rid of 90% of bots and scams and various bad things happening. We've gotten rid of 95% of child exploitation material on Twitter, which was a shock to see ... some of what was going on for 10 years." That's not what we've been hearing from regular Twitter users...
\u201cThe twitter bots are out of control, this is how skynet starts.\u201d
 — 3rd Place J (@3rd Place J)
        1687305352

\u201cI thought Twitter was getting rid of bots...\n\nIt's been bad the last 2 weeks\u201d
 — whiLd (@whiLd)
        1687302325

	... but whatever he needs to tell himself.
Latest News
Trending
        Mom Hilariously Horrified After Seeing Her Kids' First Photos From School Picture Day
    
McKenzie Lynn Tozan
07 November
Political News
        AOC Reveals Why She Thinks MTG Is Actually On A 'Revenge Tour' Against Her Fellow Republicans
    
Alan Herrera
07 November
Trending
        TikToker Wonders How Anyone Can Afford Babies After Learning Just How Much Diapers Cost—And Wow
    
McKenzie Lynn Tozan
07 November
LGBTQ
        Woman's Hilarious 'Men Diagram' About Guys On Dating Apps Always Gets Same Response From Men
    
McKenzie Lynn Tozan
07 November
Don’t Miss Out

      Join the
      ComicSands.com
      community and make your opinion matter.
    

The Top 5

Discover More

Forget everything Elon Musk ever said about making Twitter profitable and turning it into a dominant social media force upon his purchase of the platform for $44 million last year.

The company is now valued at $15 billion with a bleak forecast.

It's not due to lack of effort, though. Musk did cut several task forces, laid off about 75% of its workforce and continues to attempt making money off of Twitter Blue subscriptions—largely to no avail.

But forget all that.

Elon Musk didn't do it for the money, according to Elon Musk.

The acquisition of the social media giant was for the good of mankind, as Musk was concerned about its negative impact on society. At least that's what he said at a conference in Paris on Friday.

According to Business Insider, Musk revealed his true motive behind the purchase.

“If I’m so smart, why did I pay so much for Twitter then?”

“I was concerned Twitter was having a negative effect on civilization and corrosive effect on civil society, and anything that undermines civilization, I think, isn’t good."

How noble.

“I felt Twitter kept moving in a negative direction and my hope and aspiration was for it to be a positive force for civilization.”

\u201c"I was concerned Twitter was moving in a negative direction". \n\ud83e\udd14\ud83e\udded\u2b05\ufe0f\u27a1\ufe0f\nElon Musk at #VivaTech answering why he decided to buy Twitter \n\nhttps://t.co/oiJ6tPY3pR @BusinessInsider\u201d
— Maud Clerc (@Maud Clerc) 1686995909

Of course, users of his own platform called out his alternative facts.

Many noted the platform has become an increasingly toxic space.

\u201c@cest_clerc @BusinessInsider Are you sure he didn't answer, "I was interested in \nmoving Twitter in a negative direction"?\u201d
— Maud Clerc (@Maud Clerc) 1686995909

\u201cThe answer is, seriously: he thought there were not enough nazis and fascist on twitter and wanted to do something about it.\nhttps://t.co/6yrD0S78JX\u201d
— \u0411\u0430\u0439 \u041c\u0438\u0445\u0430\u043b (@\u0411\u0430\u0439 \u041c\u0438\u0445\u0430\u043b) 1687021276

\u201c@TheTweetOfJohn So he thought it was a good idea to make it worse?\ud83e\udd37\u200d\u2640\ufe0f\ud83e\udd26\u200d\u2640\ufe0f\u201d
— John FitzGerald (@John FitzGerald) 1686967556

\u201c@TheTweetOfJohn @UROCKlive1 What a joke!\u201d
— John FitzGerald (@John FitzGerald) 1686967556

\u201c@TheTweetOfJohn @elonmusk so you made it more toxic and corrosive? How does that help society.\u201d
— John FitzGerald (@John FitzGerald) 1686967556

\u201c@TheTweetOfJohn @UROCKlive1 He's as bad at rationalization as he is at business.\u201d
— John FitzGerald (@John FitzGerald) 1686967556

\u201c@SamanthaFlom @elonmusk You\u2019re a long way off @elonmusk\u201d
— Samantha Flom (@Samantha Flom) 1686957014

\u201c"I think if someone is a regular Twitter user, then most people would say their experience has improved," Musk said.<--I'm less suppressed now on Twitter, BUT see it as far more dangerous today because of the volume of bigotry, hatred & disinformation \n\nhttps://t.co/cGwk50zKaw\u201d
— Jones Murphy (@Jones Murphy) 1686989524

\u201coh, it\u2019s to save the world. riiiiiight. such altruism. \ud83e\udd23 https://t.co/HUzHkmVNxZ\u201d
— iquanyin (@iquanyin) 1686953885

\u201cMaybe @elonmusk has something of a sense of humour after all... @jyoti_mann1 reports for @BusinessInsider https://t.co/c6Jtf9FYNj\u201d
— Chris Johnston (@Chris Johnston) 1686936678

\u201cBecause your ego is bigger than your intellect?\nhttps://t.co/cnBm7qx55q\u201d
— VeteranForDemocracy (@VeteranForDemocracy) 1686961900

@danieldp/Twitter

\u201c@eefsgurl He bought Twitter because he was lonely and thought it would make him popular.\u201d
— Eeefs aka phobos (@Eeefs aka phobos) 1687112525

And Musk truly believes he's doing a stellar job.

"I think if someone is a regular Twitter user, then most people would say their experience has improved."

"We've gotten rid of 90% of bots and scams and various bad things happening. We've gotten rid of 95% of child exploitation material on Twitter, which was a shock to see ... some of what was going on for 10 years."

That's not what we've been hearing from regular Twitter users...

\u201cThe twitter bots are out of control, this is how skynet starts.\u201d
— 3rd Place J (@3rd Place J) 1687305352

\u201cI thought Twitter was getting rid of bots...\n\nIt's been bad the last 2 weeks\u201d
— whiLd (@whiLd) 1687302325

... but whatever he needs to tell himself.

Related Articles Around the Web

More from People

        @gianna.wulff/TikTok
    

        Influencer Reveals How 'Narcissist Mom' Upstaged Her Gender Reveal With A 'Prank'—And Yikes
    
McKenzie Lynn Tozan
Nov 07, 2025
As heartbreaking as it is to think about, children of a narcissistic parent will experience their first hater from an incredibly young age, coming in the form of the person who's meant to raise them and love them unconditionally.
In these situations, narcissistic parents will always blame their children for their shortcomings while taking all the credit for their successes—and jealousy and stealing the spotlight run rampant in these households, especially as the child grows and becomes more independent. 
Keep ReadingShow less
Most Read
Political News
        Blue States Are Taking A Page Out Of Trump's Playbook With Alerts About SNAP Benefits
    
Alan Herrera
03 November
Political News
        Trump Brutally Fact-Checked After Boasting That Walmart's 'Thanksgiving Dinner' Is Cheaper Than Last Year
    
Alan Herrera
07 November
Political News
        Lauren Boebert Slammed After Photos Of Her Racist ICE-Theme Halloween Costume Emerge
    
Alan Herrera
05 November
Political News
        Democratic Senator Trolls Trump With Hilariously Petty Idea For What To Name Trump's Ballroom When He Leaves Office
    
Alan Herrera
29 October
Political News
        George Santos Announced He's Leaving New York After Mamdani's Win—And The Responses Are Brutal
    
Alan Herrera
07 November

        @atrupar/X
    

        RFK Jr. Dragged For Bolting Out Of Oval Office The Moment A Man Collapsed During Press Briefing
    
Alan Herrera
Nov 07, 2025
Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was criticized after hurrying out of a press briefing in the Oval Office on Thursday after a man had a medical emergency and suddenly collapsed.
Kennedy was on hand alongside President Donald Trump, Dr. Mehmet Oz—the current Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services—and health aides for a press briefing announcing lower costs for weight loss drugs.
Keep ReadingShow less

        Photo by Stephen Andrews on Unsplash

        Times People Saw Someone Almost Die Due To Their Own Actions
    
McKenzie Lynn Tozan
Nov 07, 2025
All actions have consequences, some more negative and severe than others. 
But sometimes, someone will do something so extreme or stupid, it could almost cost them their life.
Keep ReadingShow less

        Photo by Online Marketing on Unsplash

        Cancer Patients Explain Which Symptoms Ultimately Led Them To See A Doctor
    
Thomas Dane
Nov 07, 2025
Cancer has taken far too many lives and affected far too many people.
Where is a cure?
Keep ReadingShow less

        Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

        People Over 30 Share Their Biggest Regrets In Life
    
Thomas Dane
Nov 07, 2025
Life goes by in a flash. 
When we're young, we tend to laugh off that statement. 
Keep ReadingShow less
Load More

Latest Stories

Start your day right!

Elon Musk Has Eyes Rolling With Latest Reasoning For Dropping $44 Billion To Buy Twitter

The Twitter CEO told conference attendees in Paris that his real reasoning for buying Twitter was because he was concerned about the 'negative direction' the social media platform was headed in.

Latest News

Don’t Miss Out

More from People

Most Read

Swallowing Candy

Rescuing A Two-By-Four

Too Many Movie Theater Concessions

Chicken To The Extreme

(Cue Music) Under Pressure...

An Unsupervised Swim

Something Out Of A Cartoon

You Don't Want This Kind Of Strainer

Scary Stories By The Campfire

Shallow Diving

No Childproofing

Not Reading The Ingredients First

Don't Drive Sleep-Deprived

Hiking The Infamous Trail

Buses And Cell Phones Don't Mix

Lumps

Work Bro Knows

92%

Hips Don't Lie

Bowel Stats

ROOTED

SOMETHING

Do you want a scan?

Finding a Ball

12 Years Later

Stage 4

UNDETECTABLE

YELLOW

Sensations

Red Flags

WASTED

Say Bye Sooner!

Go Alone

SAVE! SAVE SAVE!

Growing Up

Less is More

Precautions

Gut Check

Dryer Days

Necessary Walls

Play...

Learn

FOCUS

Take your time...

Stay the Course