“Twitter is for wicked big losers.” Someone actually posted this exact statement as a comment on my Facebook page today.
Pretty silly, right? But it did make me think…should I try to educate this person about Twitter? Should I start listing the stats on people and businesses who have taken to Twitter? Not necessary.
The many merits of Twitter can be found on countless websites and blog posts. We are all free to use it or not. I choose to use it because it provides a contact vehicle into a group of people who have, in a short time, already made a tremendous impact on my personal and professional experience.
Ironically, my next blog post was planned as a list of key takeaways from 2008 gained from my social networks.
OK. I have a pretty thick skin and have dealt with much worse than being called a wicked big loser. And I cannot help but picture kids on a playground sticking their tongues out and singing, “Twitter is for wicked big losers.”…to which I suppose my line should be something like, “sticks and stones will break my bones….”
Kidding aside, this vast generalization got me thinking about how I would break it down further.
Here goes. I am a friend; a sister; a spouse; a daughter; a colleague; a blogger; a manager; an employee; a marketer; a neighbor; a music-lover; a technologist; an aunt; a mentor. I enjoy reading, presenting, singing, and seeing new places. I work a lot, so it’s a good thing I love marketing. I like red wine. I like meeting new people. I like cars. My preferred means of communicating is through storytelling. I care what my friends think. I have two dogs. And yep, I’m a Tweep!
As I drafted this mini-bio, it came to me--the very simple reason I use Twitter or any other social networking tool. We all have stories, backgrounds, and interests that feed into the community and impact our perspectives. Through interactive community involvement, we all get to experience the best of these from each other. And from that we grow.
Sounds like a wicked big winning proposition to me.
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5 comments:
I agree. Those who bash twitter today are the same folks who thought facebook was for "wicked big losers" 6-12 months ago. They simple haven't discovered the value in using it to make their own life/work/anything better.
For me in the 1 month I have been actively using Twitter, I have found a huge amount of value.
I think that comment says more about the poster... to me it says they're seeking attention.
Actually they sound rather like a "loser" I find that people who make sweeping statements like this haven't bothered to try either Twitter or other Social Networking sites, but have heard of them and think they are a waste of time.
What's amusing is that although they're so negative about them they seem to spend a lot of time trashing them and people who do use them. I agree with Graeme... I see the same stuff about Facebook and even Linked In. Just means they've failed to make it work for them.
It is everything you said, but one thing more. Plain, old fashioned meanness. Period.
Frankly, I am not sure that we all know what Twitter will become. It's fund being part of its evolution.
I think some people consider themselves the arbiters of what is cool, appropriate, necessary despite all signs pointing to them talking out of their butt.
I know what you mean though, every now and again somebody will toss out the old "Blogging is for egomaniacs" gem and my immediate response is to be offended and insulted even though I know it's just hot air.
Your attitude is great.
Thanks to all for the comments. And thank you to those who emailed and tweeted me with your thoughts.
As many of you pointed out, this seems reminiscent of the types of things we heard from naysayers about the web when it was in the early adopter stage.
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