The blue tick fuss is almost too perfect. It's not trivial. It's an exact illustration of populist political trends over the past decade or so.

Basically, it's a resentful revolt against a real elite. That's not a value judgement. Old blue ticks were elitist. Of course they were. That was literally the point.

The system was chaotic and flawed, but they basically said "this person/thing is notable enough for it to matter if they are impersonated."

Some people, tho, really mind not being part of an elite. So they wanted it smashed. No matter the irony of this smashing happening with the SPONSORSHIP OF A WHIMSICAL BILLIONAIRE. They still reckoned the smashing would help them.

Afterwards, tho, the same people are still broadly notable for all the same old reasons they were before. And the same people are not. And all they have now is a new identity which shows how much they mind. Which makes other people laugh at them.

It's Trump. It's Brexit. It's Faragists putting on tweed jackets and wondering why they're not in the House of Lords yet.

And again, it's all basically about people being sold the lie that smashing up imperfect, annoying, elitist things is a shortcut towards improving their own situation.

And it isn't. Again.

In which I say much the same, but better.