Twit(ter). Seriously? Perfect.

March 15, 2007 | Filed Under Technology, Shame, Other, Culture | No Comments

Mat Balez thinks Twitter faces a swift demise. I’m not so sure, but it would certainly provide me with hope for the future of the world if it were so.

I’ve only very recently heard about Twitter. Unsure of exactly what it was, I investigated — and quickly determined it was just another item for the list of wildly popular trends in which I find no appeal. But it doesn’t surprise me (If you’re not sure what it is, follow the link above, it will become all too obvious).

With the generation that makes up the vast majority of Twitter users, there is a bottomless well of narcissism and self-importance. Combined with the increasingly voyeuristic direction of entertainment and online social networks, you get hordes of people who believe their most mundane activities are worthy of record - and a group willing to feed these delusions.

I’m not suggesting that this is anything new or unique to the generation in question (nor am I by any stretch saying that it describes all of them - look at Mat’s Site) - there has been a notable increase in these tendencies for some time. The curve just accelerated with webcams, blogs, myspace pages, IM, and ubiquitious cell phones. Overlay a graph of free time, money and media access available to twentysomethings, and the picture is complete.

As for any hypocrisy about blogging - of course there are weblogs with equally inane and vapid commentary. Plenty. But there are also plenty which either share original and substantial thought, aggregation of information of common interest to readers, or other content of some weight. I hope to make this into such a substantial place eventually - I used to have a couple of content rich sites, but abandoned all web publishing activities for years. Any self-indulgence you find here is very likely just an opportunity for me to learn some of the new tools available.

Yes, I know. I’m old and I don’t get it. Really though, don’t get me wrong, I’m not angry or overwrought about this — just amused, and a little discouraged. Besides, maybe this is an opportunity for me to make a little cash in a friendly wager with Mat.

I might be able to maintain interest in the tedious and banal nature of Twitter for a couple of days — if there were creatures from other planets or dimensions talking about their activities. Otherwise, please kids — if you have that much free time, skip some stones. Watch a squirrel. Read a book.