I’m sure the split second I began blogging about my hatred of Twitter, most of you probably chortled, and proceeded to circle a future date on the calendar, predicting exactly when I would join Twitter, followed by my pathetic rationalization or mea culpa.
Well, this is it: Mr_FadedGlory
Yes, I still detest Twitter’s bludgeoning of the English language. I still hate the idea of becoming even more plugged into an online community. I would still like to own a Jitterbug instead of a Blackberry.
But I’m not joining just to tell the world about my trip to the dentist or my DVR breaking during Conan. I’m in this to promote my writing, hopefully networking with similar writers, bloggers and thinkers, and maybe catching some additional eyes or viewers or even colleagues. Almost improbably, I’m changing my Twitter tune.
As many of you know, on the side I work in the world of advertising and public relations. And as many marketers trapped in this possession would tell you; we hate nearly all of the tools at their disposal: pop-up ads, AdWords, ConstantContact, Twitter, ten-second AM radio spots, business-builder newspaper ads, LED billboards, and a multitude of options within a plugged-in life. All are bought and sold based on hope and chance; the great, necessary swindle of advertising.
But we use them all. We buy them all. And Twitter is an easy, free way for me to socially interact with similar writers, bloggers and followers, and maybe work my way into a different network. It’s a little unclean, sure, but no different than SEO or email blasts. And if Facebook is like a neverending high school reunion, Twitter is a daily trip to a schmoozefest cocktail party. You take a deep breath, you plunge in, and hope to make inroads with people who can help you. Regardless, If Mr. Faded Glory, These Monks, An Insurrection, or anything is going to find an audience, I’ve got to do something different.
That’s Twitter. It’s not revolutionizing journalism. It’s not killing human contact. It’s not totally butchering grammar. It’s moving marketing discussions from a breakfast mixer to a computer screen. That can’t be completely awful.
I’ve decried banal facebook status updates for the better part of two years; hoping someday the litany of single moms who describe potty-training in happy detail would migrate to Twitter, sparing the rest of us.
Now I’ve realized: They’re not the problem. I’m the problem – I’m hoping my friend network would stimulate, instead of depress. Why should they change? It’s just as simple for me to glom onto Twitter rather than urging moms (Really, I thought raising kids was busy) to do the same.
So I’m there, solely to push Mr. Faded Glory, These Monks, and whatever else I do. Now you know this going in.
See you soon.
(Yes, I’m also on LinkedIn. And you’re right, it’s totally stupid.)
