A Dimming Light
When Mark Zuckerberg announced the upcoming moderation changes for Meta’s platforms, the whole thing felt, at best, insincere. It sounded like a subtle message for the powers-to-be: Everything we’ve been doing so far was wrong, but now we’re finally breaking free from the chains of censorship. Really? Mark, you’ve been the CEO this entire time, personally overseeing and enforcing those very policies. So, what’s changed? Oh, right.
“If Kamala Harris had won, by the way, Mark would probably be asking us to use they/them as his pronouns and getting a “Swiftie” tattoo. He’s the human equivalent of a really awful chameleon.”
Since Mark can’t outright admit that he’s shifting gears simply because the tides have turned (although it would be the very masculine thing to do) - and that he’s driven more by opportunism than principle or morals - it was only a matter of time before he played the oldest trick in the book: shifting the blame.
And indeed, just a week later, Mark goes ahead and does just that. Turns out, it was his former COO, Sheryl Sandberg, who made him do everything.
But here’s the thing - this kind of move isn’t unique to Zuckerberg. It’s classic blame-shifting, a go-to tactic for leaders when the heat is on or when the wind has changed. And while Mark might dress it up as forward thinking, this playbook is as old as leadership itself. In Russia, there’s even a saying for it: “Царь хороший, бояре плохие,” which translates to, “The tsar is good; it’s the boyars who are bad.”
Sound familiar? Putin has used - and still uses - the very same trick countless times over his 25-year “career.” And now, Mark seems to be following suit.
But this post isn’t just about Mark. What Mark is doing is a symptom of a much bigger shift - a shift that 77,284,118 Americans voted for.
Can we blame Mark for being a spineless chameleon? Hard to say. At the end of the day, it’s a business decision. He’s the CEO, and his job is to keep the company profitable.
Can we judge the millions of Americans who voted for Trump, hoping for change - whatever that change might be? I don’t know. I’m not a US citizen, though it’s hard to ignore that their decisions ripple across the rest of the world.
I had a professor who taught us US history back when I was studying English at university. He was incredibly fond of the country’s system of checks and balances, often emphasizing how no matter what happens, democratic institutions in the US are designed to self-correct. It was a fascinating thought - especially as, outside our window, Putin was busy dismantling those very institutions in Russia.
Because of this system - and many other factors, of course - the US has long positioned itself as a “democracy compass,” a kind of lighthouse for democratic nations around the world. A shining example of how real democracy should function. But with everything that’s been happening lately, the light from that lighthouse feels dimmer and dimmer.
I’m not here to judge or hate the choices of Mark Zuckerberg or the American people. But there is one thing I truly hate: Putin being right in his constant whataboutism when it comes to the US.
The biggest loser right now isn’t just the users of Meta platforms, minorities, or Sheryl Sandberg.
It’s the reputation of the United States itself.