"Twittering is randomly bragging about your unexceptional life."

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 1:22am

Great animated clip:
The Trouble with Twitter

[shira467]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 1:31am

Totally tweeted that/

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 8:04am

I like that line. Twitter takes what was one one cute aspect of Facebook and makes it completely narcissistic.

Updated On: 3/26/09 at 08:04 AM

[Weez]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 9:33am

Twitter is no more or less self-indulgent, pointless, and vain than any other blogging service. :)

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 9:38am

I refuse to join Twitter and I'm livid that Facebook felt it neccessary to become Twitter 2.0.

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 12:02pm

I'm not into Twitter myself. Most of the friends I have who actually use it are doing so for work (mostly public relations) purposes.

"Randomly bragging about your unexceptional life." I definitely think the "what are you doing right now?" aspect of it feeds into that.

But when they start blasting the whole social networking world in that video, I don't see that as any different than Facebook, BWW, or any other Internet group or message board today. The "you don't have any real friends" accusation goes way beyond Twitter. It actually includes anyone who texts or has a cell phone, too. The ones who don't ever put their devices down. Not even when they're standing in front of someone else. Or seeing a movie or a play. Or even going to the bathroom (which I find TOTALLY warped).

I've said this before, but if you use these social networking groups and communication devices as a "means" rather than an "end" to your socializing, I see it as a positive thing. They are tools to bring people together.

But if you never venture beyond the keyboard and your own comments and "friends'" comments, it's actually pretty isolating. Not to mention sad. There's a lot to be said for facing real people. Not being able to disconnect. Not being able to hide behind a facade, an avatar, or a sock puppet profile. Not being able to "block" comments. Learning how to actually ... you know ... DEAL with people.

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 12:17pm

I have only been on a week or so. I don't update often, but it's fun.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 12:57pm

i'd join to see jg2's twitters.

[Perfectly Marvelous]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 3:38pm

I saw that clip the other day, and there is some truth to it.

I've said this before, but if you use these social networking groups and communication devices as a "means" rather than an "end" to your socializing, I see it as a positive thing. They are tools to bring people together.

Exactly.

I have Facebook, which I occassionally use and keep as a means to connect with people who I don't see very often. But Twitter is something I will never understand - it just seems like Facebook on crack!

[Craww]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 5:23pm

You could technically argue that Twitter is comparatively less narcissistic, because it assumes that people will only find you interesting for 140 characters instead of for a whole journal entry.

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 5:27pm

Craww---that's funny. And sad.

But mostly funny.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 5:36pm

I know a few writers who write fiction using Twitter. One in particular-- I think her username is Lady Jetsam or something along those lines-- has an interesting story going about someone in the late 1800's stranded on a deserted island, writing in a journal that washed up with her. There are other Twitters going for a doctor and a priest (I think?) who also washed up on the island, a dog on the island, and an insane person who lives on the island.

I don't get the appeal of writing about real lives on Twitter, though. And I refuse on principle to text message anyone. I still don't see the point. If I want to talk, I call someone. If I want to write them a letter, I do it in pen and ink or email them. It seems like no one in any of my classes can pay attention to their lessons or to each other during spoken conversations because they're just texting the whole time.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 5:40pm

I admit, I use Twitter. I am actively following Brent Spiner, Dart Vader and my friends.

I have a problem.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 5:41pm

I refuse to get a Twitter and am upset that Facebook forced me to use a ridiculous Twitter clone.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 5:49pm

Wait, what's up with facebook now? I'm confused (since I don't have one).

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 7:36pm

If I signed on to Twitter, I would post nothing but crap, like:

I just farted

I'm gassy

Another day with discharge!

The sky is blue

Grass stains

or, I almost forgot to breathe.

[danmag]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 7:38pm

Those sound like a lot of Facebook statuses I read!!

[Weez]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 7:40pm

I had a friend Tweet her way through McKellen's King Lear. It got very amusing when other Tweets started getting mixed in, especially when some were semi-indistinguishable from Lear-related Tweets. XD

I like Twitter for when I have a single thought at a bus stop that I'd like to blog; I send a text message, and lo! There's one self-indulgent thought that gets published for friends to see as opposed to lost in the mists of time when I get home and decide it isn't worth posting after all!

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 7:42pm

Just a question, but:

Why do people think that every thought that pops into their heads should be shared with the world?

Really, no one cares.

[Weez]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 7:46pm

If I were sharing it with the world, perhaps I'd agree with you. But I'm fairly particular about my social blogs; only the people who are good at pretending to care get to see them, and so the world can pass in merry oblivion, unaware of what I've been thinking, while a specific set of people pretend to care about what I have to say while I, in turn, pretend to care about what they have to say. That's the über-cynical view, anyway. I genuinely am interested in what my friends have to Tweet, otherwise I wouldn't bother using the site.

Updated On: 3/26/09 at 07:46 PM

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 7:47pm

I wish Oscar Wilde was around to use Twitter.

Or Mark Twain. I'd actually read those.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 7:48pm

'Pretend to care' still equals 'no one cares'.

[Weez]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 7:49pm

Neil Gaiman uses Twitter. He's nearly as good. :) Wil Wheaton's a bit spammy though. Mind you, I hear excellent things about Stephen Fry, although I've not yet checked him out...

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 8:00pm

Haha, have you seen Shaquille O'Neill's Twitter? It's adorably dumb.

[Perfectly Marvelous]

Posted: 3/27/09 at 3:49am

Just a question, but:

Why do people think that every thought that pops into their heads should be shared with the world?

Really, no one cares.


I think that can fall under the catergory of "Welcome to the internet, no one here likes you."

It's also kind of like, well, would you say every single thought that came into your head outloud? No? Then why put it on a social networking site on the internet? (On the other hand, people who feel like they can't openly share their thoughts - no matter how mundane or random - will feel as though they're accepted by others who feel the same way).


And in regards to texting (Schmerg brought it up so this prompted me to respond) -- the other day, I was out with one of my friends when I received a text from another one saying "I just passed the friendly toast" (a local restaraunt). Considering he lives in Massachusetts, I thought he was letting me know he was in town and perhaps wanted to meet up with my and my other friend. So I called him (because I didn't feel the need to text back) and asked what was going on. No sooner did I leave a message, I get another text from him saying "Can't talk. Just thought that was a fun fact." Fun fact? I pass that restaraunt nearly all the time and I would never think to randomly text someone about it. That seems so foolish to me.

Updated On: 3/27/09 at 03:49 AM