November 14, 2024: Jamie Lee Curtis’s decision to leave Elon Musk’s platform X (formerly Twitter) signals a broader shift among celebrities, media outlets, and organizations in response to the changes Musk has implemented since acquiring the platform.
Her use of the Serenity Prayer in her post reflects a thoughtful, reflective approach to her decision. It suggests that Curtis is seeking peace with the current state of affairs, acknowledging what she can and cannot change while also signaling a desire for change, perhaps both personally and within the broader cultural landscape.
Curtis’s departure coincides with a number of other high-profile exits and moves away from X. For instance, the UK’s Guardian newspaper no longer publishes content on the platform, citing concerns about the spread of conspiracy theories and Musk’s influence over the direction of public discourse. Additionally, the Berlin Film Festival’s planned departure by the end of 2024 underscores a growing sentiment that X is no longer a platform that fosters healthy, constructive conversation—something that’s increasingly seen as essential for both the media and cultural institutions in maintaining credibility and integrity.
The broader implications of these departures highlight ongoing debates about the role of social media in shaping public opinion, political discourse, and the responsibilities of platforms to prevent misinformation, hate speech, and other harmful content. Curtis’s action also echoes a larger trend where individuals and institutions are recalibrating their relationship with social media as the influence of figures like Musk continues to evolve and reshape the platforms’ dynamics.