tweet talk
Some people experience peer pressure to drink. Others are pressured to take drugs, skip school, or steal. I get pressured to join Twitter.
Twitter, in case you’re not one of the millions worldwide already hooked in, is a cross between blogging and text-messaging. Users post 140-character-or-less updates about their daily life, thoughts, and experiences—some once a day or so, others almost constantly. You can “follow,” or receive the updates of, anyone you choose, and accumulate “followers” of your own who elect to receive your updates. “Real life happens between blog posts and emails,” the site says. “And now there’s a way to share.”
Here are some recent Twitter updates from my friends:
“Resting for a minute after first coat of ‘Dreamy Caramel.’” (complete with “twitpic” of the freshly-painted room)
“Waiting for laundry to finish and enjoying a nice, rainy fall evening.”
“Home from small group where we wished a happy birthday to my apprentice leader.”
“Waiting in our cafe for smart-rockstar-woman-leader jentaylor.”
(Thanks for that one, Kyle.)
I’ve resisted the pressure so far for several reasons. For one thing, and with apologies to my already-Twittering friends, it seems rather egocentric to assume others want the details of my every moment. Then again, I already update my Facebook status once or twice a day, which is arguably just as self-involved, and Twitter can now update both at the same time.
My bigger resistance stems from a growing sense that I’m already too plugged in, already too reliant on and addicted to email, and already wasting too much time surfing around the ‘net. I don’t think I need another site to keep track of and updated, and since I’ve also pushed back against the iPhone bandwagon I would have to log into Twitter each day to “follow” the tweets from friends. (The iPhone now has an app which allows you to send and receive Twitter/Facebook updates.) Apparently I’m okay with naval-gazing, but only if it doesn’t take too much time.
So “everybody’s doing it,” and I’m on the fence. Do you Twitter? Why or why not?
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Jennifer Taylor
My Other Sites
Twittering @seejenwrite- seejenwrite: Looking forward to hearing @susanisaacs and @donmilleris tonite. Flexing my fingers in preparation for copious note-taking.
- seejenwrite: Buying tix for trip to Orlando in January!
- seejenwrite: Here are my thoughts about the Twilight craze, from earlier this year: http://ow.ly/E3Vc
- seejenwrite: @FlowerDust See you there!
Hey Jennifer!
You should definitely twitter… it’s a great way to see what everyone’s up to. And fun to have short conversations. I was apprehensive too…thought it was egocentric. But I got over that!
Come on…give it a try…
Hey, Jen. I was a little put off by Twitter at first as well, for many of the reasons you list. But I signed up anyway, and I’ve found that it’s a pretty good opt-in tracking device for knowing what my friends are up to, and, if they travel a good deal, what town they are currently in. And, as peer pressure goes, it’s a lot healthier than drinking and drugs. I don’t Tweet too often, but I do check in on those whom I follow. An added benefit is I don’t get sucked into the Facebok vortex, where I may end up taking a couple of quizzes and hitting someone with a pillow before I get back to work.
Here’s 10 reasons in favor:
http://bigisthenewsmall.com/?p=565
Thanks everyone. Okay, well, most versions of my name (hereafter known as The Most Common Name in the Universe) are taken. Any suggestions??
You should definitely Twitter and your name could be: JennAboutNow
I had the same concerns, Jennifer … and the same peer-pressure. My husband, my boss, friends. I was surrounded.
Sounds like you’ve decided to Tweet, but just in case you need some final coaxing, here’s what finally convinced me: http://www.jeffkapusta.com/2008/04/28/why-twitter/
Okay, you’ve convinced me!
http://twitter.com/seejenwrite
comment number two from me today.
My boyfriend uses it all the time (iPhone owner), and I take every opportunity to make fun of him for it.
It just seems, like you said, egocentric to think everyone needs to know what you’re doing at all times…but maybe it capitalizes on the idea that people can’t help but like to talk about themselves, or to want other people to know them.
But most of all just silly and makes me laugh.
thanks for writing!
hey, jen…new here via Kyle Z’s twittering
main reasons i like twitter? fun way to stay connected to friends during work w/o a lot of time needed; and, allows me to connect with folks not close enough to interact with in person.
i think you’ll like.
Hey Jennifer,
II echo your thoughts about twitter, or I used to. I’m sure you’d agree that you can find plenty of blogs out there about what people had for lunch as well – and I’m here to say that I use twitter for a couple reasons, but for the space I work in, it’s invaluable at providing up to date news and it’s been a great source to learn about new ideas, trends and companies. Additionally my involvement with twitter has brought me into a community of tech oriented folks in Knoxville, TN where I live. I’m engaging with people that 8 months ago, I didn’t even know existed.
Sure there are times when I’d rather just get an email rather then a direct message, but it’s a very engaging and helpful group of people.
I’d suggest reading the post below by Michael Hyatt on why he started twittering and then check out some of the posts by him, Mark, Scott and Dave. You’ll find “status updates” for sure, but you’ll also find new articles, points of view and truth you may not have encountered before.
Give it at shot!
Gavin Baker
Abunga.com
http://twitter.com/gavinbaker
Post: 12 Reasons to Twitter
http://www.michaelhyatt.com/fromwhereisit/2008/05/12-reasons-to-s.html
Scott McClellan Collide Magazine, Editor | http://twitter.com/scottmcclellan
Mark Batterson National Community Church, Lead Pastor Author of In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. – http://www.twitter.com/MarkBatterson
Dave Ferguson Community Christian Church, Lead Pastor & visionary for the NewThing Network – http://www.twitter.com/daveferguson
Michael Hyatt Thomas Nelson Publishers, CEO – http://www.twitter.com/michaelhyatt
[...] All a-Twitter. [...]
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