I think it's a TERRIBLE idea. The world's moved on. He's doing the tech equivalent of drunk-DMing his highschool girlfriend to tell her she's still hot.

But you can see the origins now. He thinks this is the genius idea that got away. And that this time nobody can coup him. /24

Hopefully you can see the roots of this whole X pivot thing now. Musk has decided that the way to save Twitter and regain his genius status is to fall back on his unrealised vision from 1999.

Build "the world's financial nexus" as he described it then. /23

Anyway, hope that's useful context. None of what's going on is surprising if you lived through it or have studied it. You just have to get past the hagiography Silicon Valley creates around it's "great men"

If this was useful you can buy me a coffee here: ko-fi.com/garius /END

In early 1999 Zip2, the newspaper online directory service Musk had co-founded, was sold to Compaq for $300m. Elon's share of this was about $20m.

Elon begins hitting up old connections from his time at ScotiaBank.

He says he wants to launch "A Financial Superstore" /2

@LALegault Musk worked at Scotiabank briefly.

While there he came up with a 'genius' plan to buy up South American debt cheap then wait for the US to bail the country out and reap the profits.

He was shocked when the bank were like:

"ARE YOU MAD DO YOU KNOW THE LEVEL OF RISK IN THAT?!"

And decided to focus on being a tech bro instead.

@dshan people really don't realise how FAST it was all moving back then. It was a crazy time to be in tech

To understand Musk's renewed obsession with X and focus on financial services, you REALLY need to understand the X/Confinity merger that became PayPal.

And, particularly, the Peter Thiel-led coup that kicked Musk out as CEO/Chief Strategist.

Here's how that happened. 1/🧵 #history #technology

The raid was one of a number carried out by the police, using obscure laws as justification for their intimidation.

In this instance, the excuse was "reports of drunkenness on premises"

With Lily continuing to mock the police, she was handcuffed and arrested with others. /2

It's 1987. The Metropolitan Police are waging an intimidation campaign against London's LBTQ+ community.

Wearing rubber gloves to "protect from AIDS" they raid the Royal Vauxhall Tavern

"Well well," says Lily Savage (Paul O'Grady) from the stage as the police pile into the venue. "It looks like we’ve got help with the washing up" /1

I don't think it can be overstated just how HUGE an impact Paul O'Grady had on people like my parents.

As the press, police and politicians waged a war on the LGBTQ+ community and stoked AIDS fear, Lily Savage was on TV making them laugh, and showing them that these were real people. People they didn't need to fear. /4

Paul refused to drop his alter ego for the entire duration events.

When she was booked in, and ordered to give her name the answer was "Lily Savage".

When a REAL name was demanded, the reply was:

"Lily Veronica Mae Savage"

On release, Lily was back on stage the next night. /3

That's all I wanted to say really. Just wanted to try and show that in the 80s and 90s the LGBTQ+ community was fighting a war on multiple fronts - against violence AND public perception.

There are few people who can claim they fought on both.

Paul O'Grady was one of them. /6

Once Paul started also presenting shows out of character this impact grew.

Paul O'Grady as presenter? Bosh. My dad would watch it. Whatever it was. Sick animal show. Talk show. Whatever.

I know my parents were not alone on this. It was happening in houses across the country. /5

"Proud Patriot and Free Speech Absolutist"

Never have I blocked a new follower so fast in my life.