55. X MARKS THE SPOT

X(Christ)mas is on the doorstep, and th(an)x(ks) for that! Twitter's become X and we'll soon be xxx(kiss)ing under the mistletoe. So, maybe it's time to shine a light on the letter 'x'. As a standalone with many a meaning, it deserves to be centre stage, if just this once.

Buried treasure and the kiss of death

We all know the X that marks the spot in the sand or the earth – at the end of a treasure hunt, find it and who knows what awaits, pieces of eight stashed away by marauding pirates, a secret code to unlock a bitcoin bounty or the bone you saved for a rainy day for your faithful hound? And the kiss, of course. As a token of love and affection. A single peck on the cheek (x) or a sign of passionate desire (xxxxxxxxx). Why not, while you're at it, add some hugs to go with the kisses (XOXO). And, lest we should forget, the X factor – you either have it or you don't, this somewhat mysterious attribute that makes you stand out from the crowd, and the name of the TV programme that seems to attract vast audiences, and even creates superstars. On the more grisly side, 'X' is also the name of a suicide drug that has largely been available in the shadowy reaches of the internet but is now under investigation to determine whether it is possible to legally distribute it the Netherlands. Two Xtremes!

X the socio-political influencer

But when Elon Musk acquired Twitter (such a sweet-sounding, even enchanting birdsong of a name) and carved a double diagonal, heavy shadow black stamp and rebranded the forum in his own image, he created a channel for change in the pursuit of other goals. Far from being an objective platform for facts and free speech, it has already become clear that this X marks a very different spot. It has demonstrated how wealth is power and how power will create wealth for those who need it least. A trump card (excuse the pun)! Many have left the platform, and the latest rumour is that many more have already migrated (and will migrate) to other social media fora. Back in July on our website, we were pretty clear about our reason for withdrawing from X: we no longer to be associated with this site or the direction it is taking. X indeed marked the spot of departure for us.

Short cuts

X comes in very handy in our predilection for shortcuts – or is it pure laziness? Social media, the dominant channel of communication these days, demands speed. And to go fast, you need to take shortcuts. X is just one of the vehicles for this. Language that is characterised by its informal tone, use of slang and brevity, with many words and phrases being abbreviated or shortened. And x, as in thx, is well complemented by other quick fixes like w8, OMG and a whole host of abbreviations. BTW, I sometimes feel backward when I send a WhatsApp message with real words in actual sentences – a dinosaur in the land of the millennials, Gen Z or Alphas. And let's certainly not forget the big red X emoji that generally communicates warnings, errors and undesirability – I wouldn't be surprised if I get an X in reply to my next app message to anyone born this century!

To all our CPLS blog readers, a very Merry Christmas or Xmas, if you prefer brevity :-)

- Chris