The choice of "X" as the new brand name for Twitter may be a terrible choice, according to internationally known author and film producer, Gini Graham Scott. She has written an article about all the reasons why it isn't a good name and should be changed before it undermines what has been the Twitter platform. Here's the article which originally appeared on Medium at "Why X Isn't a Good Brand Name for Twitter" explained in a new article on Medium by author and AI expert. Features all the negative words and associations with X that undermine the brand.
https://ginigrahamscott.medium.com/why-x-isnt-a-good-brand-name-for-twitter-1fd33e7f3c8e.
Ever since I read that Elon Musk changed the name of Twitter to "X", I've been thinking that "X" is not a very good choice of a brand, since it seems like a negative symbol, because it is used in so many words with negative connotations and meanings. For example, "X" is used to cross things out or mark them as wrong. It is also used to suggest someone is an "eX" so they are no longer part of something, like an e-spouse, an ex-teacher, someone involved in an extra-marital affair. So I have written this article about it, though perhaps I might end up being an ex-Twitter, ummm ex-X user, since I might get kicked off the platform and become a X-eX!!!
"For example, when I asked ChatGPT to send me a list of words with "X" in them or beginning with "X" that are about negative things -- such as a word beginning with "ex" or a word like "excretion" or "exasperating" – I ended up getting lists of over 50 negative words with "X". Here they are, along with their definitions:
- Xenophobia: Intense or irrational dislike or fear of people from other countries; an irrational fear or hatred of foreigners or anything foreign or outside one's own culture or group.
- X-rated: Used to describe movies, books, or magazines that are officially considered to contain a lot of sexual or violent material.
- Exaggerate: Represent (something) as being larger, greater, better, or worse than it really is.
- Exasperate: Irritate intensely; infuriate."
Then, the list continues with over 50 more negative words.Here's how the article concludes:
"While you might think of some positive words with an "X" or "eX" in it that are positive, such as exonerate, expect, expand, expert, explain, and experiment, or the phrase "X marks the spot," the vast majority of words with "X" do refer to negative acts or have negative connotations. So this is why I don't think this is a good choice of a new brand name for Twitter.
"Now hopefully, this won't exacerbate or extinguish my relationship with X leading to my exclusion or excommunication so that I become an ex-X or an X-er, whose relationship with the group has become extinct, since they don't like me exposing any flaws. After all, my doing so could lead them to excoriate me and consider my membership in the group expendable leading them to exclude or expel me. Then, again, maybe they might have extreme pleasure and experience ecstasy that I've contributed this extremely helpful commentary that gains them extra attention and exposes them to even more media exposure and excitement, resulting in more members joining to be part of the growing excitement about X. And maybe then, I might become one of the X-community of X-men and X-women, after all.
"Anyway, I write this with love and XXXs to the ex-Twitter and now X-world!!!"
So there you have it. Now what do you think? Do you think this is a horrible name. If so, write to Elon Musk and the media and make your opinion known.
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Gini Graham Scott, Ph.D. is the author of over 50 books with major publishers and has published 200 books through her company Changemakers Publishing and Writing (http://www.changemakerspublishingandwriting.com). She writes books, proposals, and film scripts for clients, and has written and produced 18 feature films and documentaries, including Conned: The True Story and Con Artists Unveiled¸ distributed by Gravitas Ventures. (http://www.changemakersproductionsfilms.com). Her latest books include Ghost Story and How to Find and Work with a Good Ghostwriter published by Waterside Productions; The Big Con, I Was Scammed, and Love and Sex in Prison, published by American Leadership Press; and Ask AI and Ask AI: The Game, published by J. Michael Publishing. She has published about two dozen books featuring AI illustrations and was a speaker on using AI as a writer and artist at the TechBeat Conference in Danville in June, featuring the latest in AI technology.