"... And I don’t see how twitter can be used as a social network if there’s a limit of 140 words!!!??? L"
My response:
Re Twitter: Here in Fresno, the local Twitter “community” has grown such that when you join, if you take advantage of being able to “follow” other users, you can learn who is involved in what projects, whether they are professional or social (for instance, many real estate agents are using it as a marketing tool, and the arts community is using it as a way to market projects, Pecha-Kucha Nights, etc.). It has evolved into a tool, not just updating your friends on whether the sky is blue today or not. Its easy to look at it from an outside perspective and think, well, why would I participate in that, but once you’re involved, you can begin to imagine lots of other uses.
From my experience, I think the reason its different from other online or social networking tools like Facebook, etc., is that you are not limited to only befriending people that you already know – it is very acceptable to “follow” someone that you don’t know in order to see what they have to offer. For instance, I “followed” a local restaurateur because he posts his daily lunch specials. When I went to his nearby café, I introduced myself and now we are not only familiar, but he pointed me towards other people I wouldn’t have known, like a member of the “downtown association” who was putting together questions for the mayor’s forum that afternoon, or a guy who roasts coffee beans and sells them, even though his café is not open. Its just networking, and its attracting mostly Gen X & Y like crazy.
So it may lead to a business deal, or a friendship, or a conversation about the sky being blue, or nothing at all. But right now it doesn’t have that “stalker” or “predator” stigma that those other sites do. Yet. It will go out of favor when the next one comes along, whatever that is! Have you heard of Poken? I just read about this – it’s an electronic “business” card of sorts… Oh, technology. That’s my take, anyway.
Well, here's a bit of an argument against Twitter. My opinion only of course, but to me it seems as if lately Twitter has declined into a rather juvenile chat room at an exponential rate (no doubt the more popular something gets, the more it approaches the lowest common denominator). It seemed as if just a few months ago it might have been a place for interesting people to share interesting thoughts, but now it's mostly filled with people yammering about how awesome they are and, apparently, looking for some sort of outside validation to affirm that very fact, because by the looks of it, they don't actually feel it within themselves. I cancelled my account and have decided that my time is better spent on nurturing actual relationships, not virtual ones that are, and lets be real, based on how we WANT people to perceive us, not necessarily how we ACTUALLY are. There is no replacement for actual face time. Now, having said that, I did make a friend out of it (you), so it served a noble purpose in that respect!
ReplyDeleteOh, and after our beer tonight, as I was driving home I had another Twitter thought: Twitter is connection of the lowest common denominator. Think about it. Generally people Tweet whilst doing something else (work, hanging out with real friends, shopping, etc.). So what Twitter is saying is 'Sure, we can communicate, but only if it doesn't interrupt something I actually have some sort of real commitment or interest in". Nah. I'd like to think if I'm going to interrelate with somebody, they would actually set aside a few minutes for the effort...like, say, grabbing a beer at Groggs:)
ReplyDeleteHello, I’m a reporter for The Collegian (newspaper) at Fresno State. I’m doing a story on how Twitter users tend to sign up, use it for a brief period, and then stop using it. While searching through Fresno State related Twitter accounts, I came across yours and I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind answering some questions for me to use in my story. I would really appreciate it and could really use the input.
ReplyDelete1. What is your name (first and last)?
2. What school do you go to and what is your major? If you don’t attend school, what do you do and where do you live?
3. How old are you?
4. What is your e-mail incase I need to contact you again with some follow-up questions?
5. How long have you used Twitter?
6. Why did you sign up for Twitter?
7. How often do you use Twitter? If you don’t use it very often, then why don’t you? If you stopped using it, then why did you stop?
8. What do you like about Twitter?
9. What do you not like about Twitter?
10. How do you update your Twitter (Web site, text message, tweetdeck, etc)?
11. Do you have any friends who have signed up for Twitter and stopped using it? If so, did they say why?
12. Why do you think people sign up for Twitter and then eventually stop using it?
13. How do you view it in comparison to Facebook, Myspace, etc.?
Thank you so much for your time. I really appreciate it. I hope to hear back from you soon! My story is due by Thursday, May 7. Feel free to e-mail me your answers at mfurnier@csufresno.edu or just respond to this message.
Thank you,
Michelle Furnier