Posted on 11/13/2009 6:10:24 AM PST by Kaslin
Not long ago, Meghan McCain, maverick progeny and rising media star (because, no doubt, of her impressive intellectual gifts), posted a cleavage-intense picture of herself on her Twitter account. "For years," the 25-year-old would lament later, "I have struggled to accept the fact that the way I look in a tank top comes off more 'sexual' than a flat-chested woman."
First, let's all agree on the obvious: A nation that fails to deal with the deep-seated struggles of busty young blondes is a nation that fails us all.
Then feel free to wonder why an intelligent young woman feigns astonishment when her candid shot creates a hubbub online after she disseminates the shot to 76,000 followers. Isn't that the point of posting on Twitter? Highlighting everything? Even your socio-political thoughts on cup sizes?
who is too dense to recognize the miracle of letting "followers" know he hates raisins or that he loved the finale of "Mad Men."
Now not only am I expected to transmit this minutiae mere seconds after I think it but also some 20-year-old in California has decreed that I must do it within the brevity of 140 characters. This need for conciseness, in fact, induces normally articulate friends of mine to write in Prince lyrics -- recklessly using "2" and "4" and "U" as words.
To this point, I've found Twitter so aggressively worthless that I was forced to research exactly what I am missing. In the process, I stumbled across a useful New York Times tech column penned by David Pogue that clarified all. The headline read, "Twitter? It's What You Make It."
In summation, like your beloved pet rock, Twitter is useful only in your imagination.
Despite this, I can't begin to add up how many times, as a member of the media, I've been instructed that I need to tweet by people who have absolutely no clue what tweeting means. How Twitter helps journalism is yet to be determined.
But the deepest mystery of Twitter is why celebrities and elected officials take part. After all, we all know they can't write their own lines.
Now, admittedly, Twitter can be entertaining on occasion, as it turns out that 140 characters offers a great chance to be misunderstood -- and an even greater chance one will expose his inner troglodyte.
In these past few weeks alone, a clueless Colorado state Sen. Dave Schultheis tweeted, "Don't for a second, think Obama wants what is best for U.S. He is flying the U.S. Plane right into the ground at full speed. Let's Roll." NFL running back Larry Johnson took time out from his busy day of stinking at his job to ridicule his coach and question the heterosexuality (crudely) of a critical tweeter. He lost his job.
So you see, though only a reported 11 percent of Twitter's users are actually teenagers, nearly everyone who participates may end up sounding like one. (Young people have the good sense to head to MySpace, where they freely can post sexually provocative pictures -- with music!) I certainly have no cleavage to ratchet up my "follower" numbers.
As a blogging, Facebooking, texting American who values the explosion of democratic user-generated Internet content and its contribution to intellectual debate, political activism, government transparency, entertainment, access to data and community, I can safely say I still see no reason to tweet.
Naturally, this phenomenon is growing by approximately 1 million percent yearly. Maybe this is just where I get left behind by technology. Still, I'm sticking with Google's CEO, Eric Schmidt, who called Twitter the "poor man's e-mail system" -- and considering e-mail is completely free and allows you to form complete sentences, that's not exactly a ringing endorsement.
AMEN!
Well what do you know, I hit this url just to see if it exists, and it does ...
http://twitter.com/freerepublic
I’m on Twitter as jimwass. But I haven’t signed on in weeks. If you are worshipping someone and want to read his every thought in real time then Twitter may be for you. If you are trying to report news as it happens from your phone then Twitter is for you. (PG County GOP chairman was reporting the progress of the RNC election last January - cool updates) If you are trying to receive news from such a source in real time then Twitter is for you. Otherwise if you are following a number of talkative people broadcasting philosophy and random thoughts Twitter is s dizzying waste of time.
“I have recently become a huge Twitter fan”
Did someone say HUGE?
lol, I almost lost my breakfast.
It is getting harder and harder to find intelligent, emotionally secure people, that are happy with themselves. I think your statement makes you fit the bill.
Good ol' FReepers, love the comments about this silliness. In our 60s, my wife and I have been trying to encourage grandchildren, who are so "into" this junk to email us occasionally to stay in touch over long distances, to send photos (like we do), short video clips, etc., to enjoy getting to know each other better.
I have a gift of cartooning so I cartoon on each of their Christmas, birthday, other occasion cards (there's seven grandchildren, it can be pretty busy!). My cartoons are family oriented, familiar things to relate to so we still use snailmail too!
But no, too lazy to even do that yet they whine to their parents "if we only had [insert latest technology here] we could STAY IN TOUCH". Yeah, right.
You're absolutely right. Facebook allows such communication but too many use it to promote silliness similar to Twitter. You're invited to join their favorite online game. They grouse about the weather, having to leave for work, the shoes they bought don't fit well so have to go back to the store (didn't they try them on in the first place?). Enough.
Then there's those you don't know who want you as a 'friend'. I knew intuitively that may not be a good idea, so if I don't know the person, I don't comply. Many are from 'groups' you join. The only 'groups' I've joined are FR, a group having to do with the Little Big Horn, and a group from our closest city where I know some people. It's the last group that is sometimes a problem. Sure, there are people I know, but a lot more I don't. Yet they want to be 'friends'. Sorry.
After awhile, I found myself wondering what I was getting out of it. I decided 'Nothing!'. I didn't cancel my membership, but I stopped visiting. Don't miss it at all.
No technology will ever replace the 'will' of wanting to stay in touch. We first have to learn to commit. Once we do, it all becomes easier.
I tried Twitter in the summer for a few weeks and I didn’t get it at all. My husband then used the account to post something about “Commies running the show”, and whoa, we got followers like crazy. Haven’t used it since.
My son set up a Facebook for me to keep in touch with my students. I can remind them of quizzes, let them know what they missed when absent, or even talk to parents. I have Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann’s links as well. But I want nothing to do with anybody from highschool or college.
Well just you remember to be more specific next time! BTW I also think the twit twitterer is kind of hawt. But that’s just me.
Twitter’s Users Fell 7.9% in October, ComScore Says
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aSCrnX.eKVtc
Thanks for that, it confirms what I’ve mulled over in my mind about these sites, particularly about being a “friend” to someone you really don’t know.
It looks to me that for younsters that might be putting oneself at risk, plus all the private info that people apparently feel is so “necessary” to put on a worldwide web, pretty scary to us.
We’re not part of that world and yet I don’t know how many times folks have wanted to add us as a friend to Facebook but we kindly refuse. I still don’t know if they could without our knowledge (here is where my age/lack of techology savvy is telling on me).
Regards,
Once a request is received it has to be confirmed. If not confirmed, it doesn't happen. I simply trash the emails and get on with things.
Phone and email is still my favorite way of communication. I recently bought my wife her first laptop. She's not a 'computer' person, but has taken to it like a duck to water. Mostly it's receiving email from friends or relatives, but there's some web surfing for crafts, patterns & stuff. I find it funny how her outlook has changed so quickly.
Some people use FR for silly things.
It is, from what I have read, the place where 'investigative journalists' get all their news from.
0bama uses twitter?
So is mine, actually.
Here is another example of what 120 characters can stir up:
Schultheis explains: It’s just that Obama is making the U.S. fascist
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2385645/posts
—
BOYLES: Listen don’t say you are sorry man.
SCHULTHEIS: I am not saying I am sorry. It is interesting what a 120 characters can do to the world.
BOYLES: All right, front page of the Denver Post.
SCHULTHEIS: Oh my Gosh. Front Page you are kidding me?
BOYLES: Well it is in Denver and the West.
SCHULTEIS: Oh boy.
Upon reading this comment, I immediately thought, "She's an Aqua-Velva man."
the infowarrior
I
am
sitting
on
my
patio...
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