Five, ten, twenty reasons for Twitter sceptics to stop moaning
May 22nd, 2008 by cpev
There’s been a bit of Twitter-bashing around the office recently - mainly by those who haven’t tried it.
Some of the carping might as well be saying that ‘conversation’ is pointless because a lot of folk spend all day talking about Amy and Britney. It’s not about the most popular content of the medium, it’s about how individuals and groups of people use it. And therefore it needs to be used to be understood.
So here, lovingly plucked by yours truly, are ten feeds worth following for a while before making an informed decision about whether Twitter has any use to journalists, marketers or even normal human beings.
http://twitter.com/paul_a_smith
http://twitter.com/journalismnews
http://twitter.com/FunnyScreenName
http://twitter.com/shanerichmond
Oooh, that’s a useful post. I might give it a go.
I don’t have a problem with Twitter as a concept at all. But I do feel that, for the time being, I’ve reached overload with the info inputs into my life. Twitter feels like an input too far. But it could just as easily have been texting or LastFM recommendations - it’s not something inherent to the Twitter concept that’s making me say: “Enough already!”
But a post like this does kinda spoonfeed me in a way I like.
More!
Jemima “just been for a wee, everyone! how many sheets should I wipe with?” Kiss? I think not.
Excellent - I’d been searching without success for something suitably dismissive and childish with which to illustrate my deep aversion to Twitter and the current vogue for micro-status updates.
Randolph, I salute you.
Hey handolio, why don’t you stop searching for ways to dismiss Twitter and use it for a while
Yeah, I’m waiting until I’ve used it more before I write a post explaining why it’s rubbish, so you can’t dismiss it as the ill-informed rantings of an angry man even though it will be.
I think the thing about Twitter is that, ultimately, it’s an expression of narcissism - the idea that the minutiae of one’s life are important enough that they should be published on the internet lest anyone should miss one*.
One exception: I’m sure that it’s a useful tool for people working in the NYC/SF/LDN technology start-up bubble, or indeed anyone reporting on that group of people, though, simply because so many people in that industry use it as a way to communicate (after all, these are people who are online almost 24/7). Those outside the tech and media industries, and who don’t carry iPhones and read RSS constantly, however, might be forgiven for wondering what the point is and why they should invest so much time in using it.
(*yes, says the man who writes endless paragraphs online about his cats. Ahem.)
Just when I was starting to open my mind to the possibilities . . . I read this.
I’m looking forward to Handolio’s angry rant.
For me, the jury’s still out. I’m sure once I have a bit more space in my life I’ll give it a go.
Thanks everyone for the comments.
@Randolph - your zero-tolerance on potty updates is noted.
@Tom - thanks, I’ve borrowed use of the expression ‘narcissistic’ for Bad Twitter.
@ Tamsin - yeah, that does rather put one off.
Anyway, several of your observations have informed this piece at Living. Much appreciated.
At Living? On Living?
Sensible post coming, but in the meantime you’re still wrong, and you’re still a grotesquely ugly freak.