But maybe a billionaire will notice them, and be pleased. That makes it all worthwhile.

I think their brains have just been thoroughly microwaved by social media feedback loops. I remarked elsewhere that I'm not sure these people are or can be earnest about this (cf. the fact that the billionaires they're celebrating are laser-focused on the tech they claim might doom the world); they're simply too conditioned towards creating outrage content for Twitter. To me, this is more akin to LARPing "Leave Britney alone!" than it is serious political activism.

Do you reckon it was a net negaive for them? It's heartening (to me) that it was such a damp squib, and it's always entertaining to witness the civillians' reaction to their first taste of TPOT.

Seeing these dingdongs in the sunlight helps observers get over the "It cant be that stupid" barrier, in my experience.