Taking a popular social media site and running it into the ground wasn’t enough for Elon. Falsely accusing someone of pedophilia wasn’t enough for Elon. Even reinstating an “X” user who reposted child pornography wasn’t enough for Elon. Now he’s at the point where he outright hurts his neighbors, the people unlucky enough to live opposite the former Twitter HQ in San Francisco.
Over the past few weeks, Elon has attempted to “rebrand” the Twitter offices, going against all rules of aesthetics and common sense. He tried to have the old Twitter name and logo taken down off the side of the building, but seeing as he didn’t get a permit (caring about basic rules is for losers, apparently) the cops turned up and put a stop to it midway through. Now the building just displays the word “Er,” which is the sort of vocalization one might make when considering how an unhinged man-child was allowed to amass this much power in the first place.
The building is now also adorned with a massive letter “X” which, predictably, Elon also did not get permission for. Images of the X indicate that it wasn’t installed safely, not at all, and is most likely an accident waiting to happen.
This on its own is bad enough, but now … the damn thing flashes. Yes, the people opposite the old Twitter HQ suddenly have to put up with a bright, horrible, uncontrollable strobe light right in their living space, and you don’t need me to tell you how incredibly dangerous that is for anyone who has photosensitive epilepsy. Many people feel downright unwell if they look too long at flickering lights—I’m one of them—but Elon clearly doesn’t care.
Footage of the lights is going viral
One of the people who lives in the apartment building facing this monstrosity is journalist Christopher J. Beale, who has been posting footage of what the X looks like from inside his home. (Absolutely do not view this video if you have any form of photosensitivity. Me personally, it gave me a headache for hours. Thanks, Elon.)
Beale spoke to CBS News after his video went viral, saying:
“It’s hard to describe how bright [the X light] made this intersection, but it’s way up off the street and it was still just like a flash of lightning going off. We came home and tried to watch a movie, and it was flashing through this window so bright that even with the shades down. It was so distracting that we had to leave the room and go to the side of the apartment that doesn’t face their building.
I’m all for cool displays and branding and whatever you want to do, but it is just super bright, it’s hard to describe. I feel like if I was a person that was maybe epileptic or had a sensitively to bright lights and strobes it would be a major problem to live here. For now, it’s just an irritant.”
Another resident, Patricia Wallinga, told CBS she was “absolutely sure” the strobe light was a danger, especially considering that the building houses a number of senior citizens, and she was going to pursue the matter via a union. Construction law attorney George Wolf suggested to the news outlet that residents could, “file a lawsuit over [the X] as a public nuisance,” and pointedly added, “I think it’s very, very reckless to do things this way. Most people abide by the law, I’m sure there are exceptions for entrepreneurs. It just sounds like it’s just his normal means of doing business. Break things and try and fix them later.”
We can only assume Elon would respond to a lawsuit with his trademark grace and maturity:
Yep, Elon Musk has now got people rooting for a landlord. This might be the only thing he’s actually achieved in his entire life.
(featured image: NBC)
