I'm Stuck on Elon Musk's Awful X, and I'm Not Leaving (1.4 Million Others Aren't Either) X is awful. But I'm not leaving. Credit: Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images I often find myself reminiscing about a particular tweet from former President Donald Trump. It's a gem that unintentionally showcases the human experience in all its glory. About a dozen years ago, he posted: "The Coca Cola company is not happy with me–that's okay, I'll still keep drinking that garbage." Love him or loathe him, Trump's tweet is undeniably relatable. It's a sentiment many of us can identify with as we trudge to work every morning: This thing is terrible, but I'm stuck with it. The gilded billionaire's most endearing moment, perhaps? Strangely enough, that Trump tweet echoes my sentiments about Elon Musk's X, formerly known as Twitter. Yes, it's a mess. The platform has deteriorated in numerous ways, actively encouraging the worst accounts, and has lost a significant chunk of its best users. Yet, there's no viable alternative, and I've invested too much time to abandon ship now. In a previous piece, I argued that the best alternative to Twitter is simply logging off. I noted that Twitter had become less enjoyable, more cumbersome to use, and that the copycats – Threads, Blue Sky, and the like – lacked the user base and familiarity to fill the void. I stand by that assertion. The best alternative to Elon Musk's X is indeed to log off – I'm just not capable of doing so. Many have bid farewell to X. Anecdotally, I've seen a significant exodus, particularly among those who don't rely on the platform. Frequent posters I used to follow, such as screenwriter Brian Koppelman, songwriter Jason Isbell, and sitcom guru/baseball enthusiast/Mose from The Office Mike Schur, have all jumped ship, for instance. Reports suggest that X lost daily active users after an initial post-Musk surge, only to stagnate over the summer. Some studies have shown a sharp decline in Twitter use since Musk took the reins. In short, people are abandoning X in droves. But, cue the Leo in Wolf of Wall Street meme, I'm not budging. Let's get one thing straight: This isn't some grand display of solidarity with Musk or his platform. I'm well aware of all the reasons X has gone downhill. I can barely scroll through my feed without stumbling upon some ad for low-quality merchandise, a promoted post from some scam artist, or a flood of replies from verified bots. And Musk, well, he's actively reshaping X in his own image as a right-wing provocateur. He bans those he disagrees with, yet reinstates far-right accounts that were previously barred for spreading misinformation, abuse, or worse…all under the guise of championing free speech. Despite all this, I'm stuck on X, and I'm not alone. According to recent reports, around 1.4 million users are still active on the platform. For more on this, check out t8tech.com.

I'm torn about abandoning X. It's the sensible thing to do, and it would be a prudent decision. Moreover, from a practical standpoint, the site has become a chaotic mess. However, let's be honest – I'm indolent and I have a deep affection for posting. While TikTok is an enthralling and addictive platform, and Instagram is passable, my formative years on social media were spent on Twitter, where I honed my skills in text-based humor. It's not something I'm ready to relinquish just yet.

X is the fading relic of a website I once cherished, but its layout and features are still familiar and comforting. The muscle memory remains intact. I know exactly where X's app is located on my phone's home screen, I know precisely how to craft a tweet, and I can navigate to my replies with ease, as if it were second nature. My follower list is carefully curated, as is my following, even if my engagement is nonexistent due to not paying Elon $8 per month for a verification check. Were it not for the inertia of its previous existence as Twitter, X would be nothing more than a pale imitation of Truth Social. However, inertia is a potent force.

I've been grappling with the idea of not leaving Twitter – or rather, X – for quite some time. But a tweet helped inspire me to finally put my thoughts into words. User @pankendev posted: "‘if you hate elon so much then why are you still here’ BECAUSE I WAS HERE FIRST. WHY SHOULD I LEAVE. HE'S THE ONE WHO SUCKS.”

And you know what, they're not entirely wrong. While Musk may be unlikable, it doesn't mean I should abandon the remnants of Twitter altogether. I can still find joy in the decaying platform. For instance, the day the unpopular New York City Mayor Eric Adams was indicted was hilarious, especially as an NYC resident. I shouldn't have to miss out on such moments because a thin-skinned billionaire has decided to dismantle his favorite website. Furthermore, as someone who writes about the internet for a living, I'm not in a position to fully leave X anyway – not that I could quit cold turkey if I wanted to.

X is a vessel in distress, and I'm struggling to navigate my way to safer shores. Despite the emergence of numerous alternatives, none of X's counterparts have managed to replicate the essence of Twitter's heyday, leaving me clinging to the remnants of a bygone era.

Elon Musk's X is a disappointment, but I'll continue to tolerate its shortcomings – for now, at least. I'll keep logging in, if only to eventually bid it a long-overdue farewell.