The reaction feels like pearl-clutching to be honest.
This is the kind of shitpost most people would be able to get away with, but Tan is now too important -- and will have to curate his communications more. Especially if he's going to take such a strong position against incumbent politicians cautious of their own images.
It also feels like a smart political play by his targets to discredit him. They were probably waiting for him to slip up and say something like this.
Anyways, his position is a sympathetic one - the city is not well managed. I say this as someone who frequently disagrees with Tan.
The fact it’s a Tupac lyric is not like common knowledge. I doubt a random poll of Twitter users would show most people would know the reference immediately.
Sure, and that was the misstep here. He clearly wasn't threatening to kill anyone, it was misinterpreted, he thought people would get a reference that they clearly did not. He's apologized, it's time to move on. There's better things to spend our outrage budget on IMO than someone who cares a little too much about city politics and has probably learned not to overestimate his audience's knowledge of Tupac.
It’s an election year. People will use the tweet as they see fit. Voters will ultimately decide whether it matters or not concerning candidates who have received money from Tan. But I don’t think this is the last we’ll hear about it.
They were probably waiting for him to slip up and say something like this.
This is a touch paranoid.
it was misinterpreted, he thought people would get a reference that they clearly did not
As a general matter, people should spend more time saying what they mean instead of engaging in meta-discourse of quoting cool references to each other for vibes. It's an unhealthy way to communicate; online discourse is totally irony-poisoned and (imho) this is partly why there's such a breakdown of social trust.
And really, don't you think throwing out lines like 'die slow motherfuckers' in public for cool points is a little...juvenile?
This entire comments section is a poignant example of the spiritual dichotomy present in our society: those who have ever been immersed in 4chan-and-adjacent culture, and the bitchless and cringe.
He did not threaten to kill anyone anymore than anyone saying they hope Trump has a heart attack is threatening to kill him. He made a twitter post in poor taste and apologized.
How is he important? Would a person on the street know who he is?
I guess this goes with the idea that he can wish death on people and be an asshole but that’s ok, as long as it’s hidden.
Assuming he is so critical or important should the public then know better what his thoughts or attitudes are?
“Gosh, wish someone handed him a twitter account earlier so we knew before signing a contract or something…”
On the other hand one can take a more compassionate view and say maybe he had a mental breakdown or some trauma. Not knowing or caring about his importance, I’d default to that, as I would most strangers in that situation.
This is the kind of shitpost most people would be able to get away with, but Tan is now too important -- and will have to curate his communications more. Especially if he's going to take such a strong position against incumbent politicians cautious of their own images.
It also feels like a smart political play by his targets to discredit him. They were probably waiting for him to slip up and say something like this.
Anyways, his position is a sympathetic one - the city is not well managed. I say this as someone who frequently disagrees with Tan.