What Good Is Twitter?

August 25, 2009 in Technology with 0 Comments

I rarely write on this blog about Twitter. Why? Because it’s easy to make fun of. Most people don’t get it, and I don’t blame them. That’s partly because of the common perceptions surrounding Twitter and social media, such as…

It’s narcissistic. All you talk about is what you’re doing.
It takes time away from real relationships.
It dumbs down society.
It distracts you from what really matters.

I don’t believe any of those statements are true. If all you talk about is yourself in real life, it will probably carry over to Twitter, but it’s not about what I’m doing right now so much as it is about what has my attention or what’s important in my world right now, which is often the very same thing that is important in the world of other people. Twitter just has a way of pointing out that which is relevant in the moment, real-time, and bringing it to the attention of a lot of people.

It doesn’t necessarily take away from real relationships – it often helps create and stimulate them. If you throw in Facebook, I’ve had a lot of conversations with long-lost relatives, old classmates, and blasts from the past. I’ve also forged new friendships, met Pastors and church planters I wouldn’t know otherwise, and have even had lunch with a local friend who shares a similar interest in using social media for the gospel’s sake – all because of Twitter.

Does it dumb down society, causing us to reduce articulation to 140 characters or less, thereby speaking in txt-language? No. It causes us to engage with people. I think Twitter has improved my own communication in a few ways. It’s caused me to be a little more clear and concise in my arguments, and to be sensitive to the power of my words. When you make a point in 140 characters or less, you have to be careful to get it right or you can really cause damage.

Does it distract you from what really matters? It’s your choice. If you’re easily driven to distraction or prone to addictive behaviors, stay off of Twitter. But if you don’t have such a problem, tweet away, but tweet about some things that really matter.

What sparked all of this thinking? This article, which you should read if you still think Twitter is dumb. And if you never join Twitter? Life will go on just fine.