I recognize that Elon's attempt to monetize verified status on Twitter seems to completely misunderstand the point of verified status while opening the door for more legitimate looking bots and scams. I understand the irony given that fixing the bot and scam problem seems to be a major campaign for him. I also recognize that a sizeable portion of the complaints about monetizing verification have no substance and originate from a population who wants to retain all of the functionality and convenience the internet provides, without actually have to bare any of the cost. I think Elon is wrong about monetizing verified status, but he is right that bills have to be paid which is always challenge on a platform that can be used by anyone for free. Any worthwhile argument against the monetization of verified status needs to be of the form "This idea you have is bad, here's why, and here's a better idea that accomplishes the same goal."