Internet Culture

The Steak-umm Twitter account is feuding with Neil deGrasse Tyson again

‘Log off bro.’

Photo of Siobhan Ball

Siobhan Ball

Neil deGrasse Tyson and a box of Steak-umm.

The 2018 feud between the Steak-umm Twitter account and Neil deGrasse Tyson reignited a couple of days ago. Steak-umm took exception to one of Tyson’s tweets, responding to his statement that “science is true, “whether or not you believe in it” with “log off bro.”

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Shots fired. The Steak-umm Twitter account went on to expand on their initial tweet, explaining their reasoning for asking Tyson to step away from the internet for the day. By oversimplifying science and presenting it as dogma rather than a process, he was just going to increase skepticism during an already dangerously high period of science denial.

nope. science itself isn't 'true' it's a constantly refining process used to uncover truths based in material reality and that process is still full of misteaks. neil just posts ridiculous sound bites like this for clout and he has no respect for epistemology
@steak_umm/Twitter
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the irony of neil’s tweet is that by framing science itself as “true” he’s influencing people to be more skeptical of it in a time of unprecedented misinformation. science is an ever refining process to find truth, not a dogma. no matter his intent, this message isn’t helpful
@steak_umm/Twitter

The Steak-umm Twitter account manager wasn’t the only person on Twitter to find objection to Tyson’s statement. However, because people still aren’t entirely used to corporate brands stepping so far out of their lane yet (though it’s becoming an increasingly popular publicity stunt as it clearly works), it was the Steak-umm response that really blew up.

Science as a binary of 'good' or 'true' blurs how science is done and who its done by and for. Those are areas to explore if we want to build a scientific enterprise that is more trustworthy and equitable. Also - I love this account.
@sciencequiche/Twitter
You’re telling me ScienceTrade mark sign isn’t an hierarchical cult sheltering infalliable truths as a replacement for traditional religion?? It is a decentralized body of work under perpetual peer-review??
@sciencequiche/Twitter
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Steak-umm is taking it to Neil deGrasse Tyson and I am here for this battle of the titans.
@NumbersMuncher/Twitter

After all, a frozen food brand feuding with renowned astrophysicist on the nature of science and philosophy is a pretty hilarious concept, even as brands increasingly allow their social media managers to go off book and post about whatever the hell they like.

Seeing a frozen meat company drag @neiltyson for intellectually sloppy thinking is not something you see every day. Worse for NGT, the frozen meat company is correct.
@NumbersMuncher/Twitter
I'd like to make myself available to be the moderator for the inevitable upcoming epistemological debate between Neil deGrasse Tyson and some Frozen Meat.
@hankgreen/Twitter
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Here I am, a certified Science Communicator* throwing my support behind Frozen Meat Sheets over the reigning Today's Most Famous Science Communicator. *According to my 1099-NEC
@ToriDelaineFosh/Twitter

The whole thing finally reached critical mass today, hitting viral status on Twitter as people continued to cackle over the absurdity of the whole thing—and how the Steak-umm account actually made some really good points.

At some point, a history book or media textbook or academic tome is going to cover this. Your children will ask you, “Where were you when Steak-Umm had righteous Twitter beef with Neil Degrasse Tyson?” Then your child will say “Steak-Umm bless” as they head to Steak-Umm church.
@ChuckWendig/Twitter
Everyone wants to talk about Steak-Umm beefing with Neil DeGrasse Tyson; no one wants to talk about how 90% of homemade cheesesteaks would be better if people used Steak-Umms instead of fresh steaks.
@ChuckWendig/Twitter
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This is the most 2021 thing I’ve ever tweeted, but: I feel like the people taking Steak-umm to task here for also being pedantic and wrong don’t adequately appreciate how much harm NDT’s bullshit does with regard to conspiratorialist thinking.
@dynamicsymmetry/Twitter

Steak-umm did go on to clarify that they are actually a “brand selling products” and therefore “everything we do is based in self interest”.

obligatory thread to remind people that we’re a brand selling products (http://steakumm.com check it out) so everything we do is based in self interest to grow our business steak-umm bless
@dynamicsymmetry/Twitter

A strategy that’s clearly working out for them.

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The funny thing is, it works. @steak_umm ’s tweets have made me seek out Steak-umm at the store. They’ve been sold out for months, but I keep checking.
@kejames/twitter
Agree. Haven’t thought about Steakumms in forever and now want to try them. Philly cheese steak or a French dip!
@kejames/twitter
'I just told my wife to add them to the shopping list and she surprises me by saying we already have them?!' Wayne's world gif featuring two men, one with shaggy blonde hair and one with dark hair who is saying 'I was not aware of that'
 
The Daily Dot