r/antiwork’s train wreck Fox News interview shows moderators aren’t leaders
They should be more like janitors
Antiwork moderation
Mods aren’t leaders, spokespeople, or faces of a movement. Nobody elected Ford to her position;the sub never voted for her to do interviews.
Some mods say amore appropriate comparison is to janitors: they keep things running, clean up the mess — and are typically undervalued.
In the antiwork fiasco, the irony is that an equalizing movement has been tarred by an individual with some power.
Some argued that Ford exposed the flaws of extremely online people in social movements. But that doesn’t mean they can’t play a useful role.
The sub goes under
The remaining mods said theywere aware of the interview request — and advised Ford to decline it.
Some of the sub’s subscribers remain angry that their cause has been discredited by representatives they didn’t choose.
In the aftermath of the interview, r/antiwork promptly went private. It soon reopened with a statement about the debacle:
The statement also introduced another moderator:a “21 years old male, long-term unemployed and an Anarchist.”
They said they have no plans to do more interviews — but have already done a few that are yet to be released.
Story byThomas Macaulay
Thomas is a senior reporter at TNW. He covers European tech, with a focus on AI, cybersecurity, and government policy.Thomas is a senior reporter at TNW. He covers European tech, with a focus on AI, cybersecurity, and government policy.
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