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Proton has stopped using their Mastodon account
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this post was submitted on 26 Feb 2025
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The problem is that those arguments are not falsifiable. If not one, but two completely reasonable explanation cannot convince you of someone motivations, nothing can. However, I don't care if Musk did or did not a Nazi salute. His actions speak much louder (in a bad sense) than the aesthetic that he decides to adopt. Proton donation pattern for example would be a strong indicator to measure intentions.
Maybe. But also maybe people are allowed to have different cultural references, and in a global context (i.e., the internet) we should expect diversity. I - for example - had never heard of this 88 thing, and I would definitely not think about it at all the next time I create a username, and I didn't think it when I went to a barber shop that has that number in the name. Likewise, I wouldn't call anybody writing "Merry Xmas" tone deaf for missing the reference to the X MAS of infamous history (and just recently in the news). For some people it's apparently impossible to see their culture as non-universal (at the cost of sounding stereotypical, folks from US have particularly this problem after decades of cultural hegemony).
This all happened before Musk/Bannon salute. Just to specify it.
A lot of human actions are unfalsifiable because we can't read minds. That why inference about what people say and do is important.
Musks and others nazi salute is just a reference to this behaviour writ large. It's not the beginning of it at all. Nazi and alt right groups have been doing dog whistles for decades, and the internet has proved a fertile ground for the behavior.
Its fine to not be aware of things like "88" or "14 words" or the like, but they are dog whistle memes used by racists and nazis, the people the mainstream right has been shifting towards for years and years. You very well may have some cultural touchstones that coincidentally use the same memes without that racist context, but when you're applauding the racists and using the terms at the same time?
Satre has a great quote about how facists dont care about what they say or do, as language is just a game to them:
This game is wholley embraced by racists, so giving people "the benefit of the doubt" plays right into their game of feigning decroum while ramping up hate.
Again this may be an unfortunate coincidence for the proton CEO, but that does not undermine the overall point that he currently appears steeped in rightwing ideology, and that is not okay for someone claiming to uphold freedom and privacy.
Lastly, Protons past donations are laudable, but plenty of groups had laudable donations before they became vile. Look at google's past philanthropy as an example, or their since retired "dont be evil" motto. They certainly don't live up to those standards today, and it looks like Proton is on the same course.
I agree with you on the principle. In this case I disagree with the premise. Years of actions I think easily out weight that tweet. If that's the only reason to be suspicious, then I don't think it's warranted.