Determining the reality of Twitter might be a question best reserved for later, or never. Reality's difficult enough in the so-called "real" physical world. The trouble with Twitter, like the trouble with many things people will argue about, is a trouble originating with humans, not the thing itself: the need to define a thing.
What is it? What is it used for? What is its potential? What are the limits? Who else is using it and why? What can we learn from it? Should I be using it too? Is it okay if I walk away from it? Do I have to use the word "tweet?"
While you're at it, ask yourself what is the meaning of a fallen leaf, if there really is one main sound from which all sounds spring, what is the likelihood of becoming one with a stone and understanding its stone-ness, and whether you should wear acid-washed jeans should they ever come back in style.
The frontrunner for answering the Twitter reality question is that all signs seem to point toward "yes."
Is it useful? Yes. Is it a waste of time? Yes. Is it not a waste of time? Yes. Is there not a point to these questions? Yes.
;-)
Some are simply walking away from the questions. Andrew Baron put on eBay. Why? He wasn't really using it. As you might imagine, this sparked all kinds of other questions, including whether or not an individual Twitter account, like someone's stream-of-consciousness, has real monetary value. Current bid is $1,125.
Twitlinks.com, a sort of real-time version of Techmeme, selectively pulling from tweets emanating from the Important Bloggers Club.If, while your BlackBerry is inaccessible, your thumbs are involuntarily tweeting onto the pages of Sky Mall, you can plan ahead to ease your OCD by using Andre Nantel, whose new Twitter account asked "Jason Calacanis, his pet topic, understandably so, my TwitterCloud and make all kinds of incorrect conclusions, even though some insights into my psyche might be accurate. For me, it's the real-time, fuzzy glimpse at reality that is important, not necessarily the moral of the tale.
The best stories, by the way, have no point.
But maybe more than one will join in fascination by watching Baron's artistic Twitter Madness YouTube submission, which broadcasts without any external commentary the randomness of Twitterers. (Externally, I will comment that it is a good reflection of the randomness of creation and thought in general.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiGWV-irAyMWhat I like about Twitter is knowing that Craig Newmark is hanging out at Carmel winery, that confused about the time change in Israel—and that Scoble is hanging out there with a bunch of
Found an error or have a suggestion? Let us know and we'll review it.
Suggest a Correction
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!