Warning:
This post might sound negative, but it’s not meant to be. There’s a point to the criticism and I hope you’ll stick through it long enough to get to the end and join me in the discussion.
Scratch My Back
There’s something that’s been bothering me a lot lately, and I can’t quite figure out what it is. It has to do with Twitter, blogging, and social media. Being that this is a Twitter blog though, we’ll keep the discussion focused on Twitter.
I love Twitter…I really do, but it’s starting to get stale in some ways. Primarily, because we all hang out in specific circles in order to reinforce each other’s opinions and pat each other on the back. There’s good in that, and it’s awesome to know you have thousands of followers you can turn to when you’re feeling down.
And I’ll Scratch Yours
On the other hand, I think that used too much, it’s an environment that stifles creativity and creates a vacuum.
Let’s face it…a lot of content on Twitter is the same thing over and over again. Great quotes, great posts, and great discussions. There’s a lot of great stuff!
But it’s all the same stuff, and that’s where the problem lies.
Most people unfollow those that upset them or disagree on a constant basis, which means they only follow/are followed by people that support their opinion, at least in part.
Like a Group Hug
So what does that leave you besides an awesome support group? Where’s the challenge and the new ideas?
Are they in another niche?
Are they on Facebook?
They’re In the Real World
Where I worked, people fought quite often, ideas were challenged, and feelings were hurt. That’s just the way it was. However, the job got done because of the group dynamic. Different opinions lead to new ideas. Hybrids…if you want to call them that.
The problem with Twitter is that if you don’t spend enough time with real world challenges and with people that oppose your way of thought, then you’ll never truly expand your horizons.
Being popular on Twitter is like being popular in High School…there’s no substance behind it. If you understand that, and see it for what it is, then you know that although you need to enter the Matrix from time to time, the real world is where the true battles are fought.
The Positive
I promised a positive post, and I’m going to give it to you.
My challenge is this:
Learn to use Twitter to the best of your ability. Dominate it. Gain 50,000 followers and learn how to get more RT’s. But once you do, use that leverage to solve real world problems. Use that power in order to become a big fish in a big pond instead of a big fish in a little pond.
Twitter is a tremendous tool, and I’ll admit that I’m absolutely in love with the community there, but there’s a difference between business and community. Instead of hanging out in the same circle, try to expand into others. Challenge ideas and at the same time, allow yours to be challenged. Most of all, don’t mistake friends for clients.
Group hugs are great, but you’ve got to take that energy and run with it. Recharging is great, but don’t forget to use those batteries…there are still many worlds to be explored.
@NotAProBlog
Every underground movement with a small set of early adopters goes through this shift when entering the mainstream.
It starts out as a group of “loners” essentially who join forces together around something even though each are vastly different to one another. It’s the “group of outcasts” mentality where those individuals who don’t fit in anywhere form a bond with those who share the same feelings.
Now, once the general public catches on and there’s an influx of people jumping on board the bandwagon… these loners, who originally were unique in their given niche, style & substance – they now have hundreds of others quite similar to them at their disposal.
This is why we always end up in the situation where completely brand new “cliques” are formed – either in these once-barren niches or simply by the “cool” early adopters who scoff the “sellout” noobs trying to take a piece of what was unique to them.
The problem is that we have then just created the same environment in which we all fled from in the first place. We’ve become the “in crowd” that looks to conform to some now-meaningless ideology that stifles any other outside-the-box thought to enter our consciousness.
Nathan is dead spot on absolutely 100%. Who says there are definitive rules on how to conduct yourself on Twitter? Because a bunch of “cool kids” told you that’s how it is? Nonsense. It’s an open platform. Follow who you want. Talk to who you want. However you want. There are no boundaries.
Don’t try to fit yourself into a meme, Create a new one.
@anopenscroll
Yep… too many quotes and RTs over and over again. Where’s the brilliance? How can I be brilliant?
Thanks for pitching in here Jordan. You make some great points…by the time the cool stuff is cool…it’s not cool anymore.
Movements are catching on much more quickly now, which means unconventional methods must also do the same.
ha, ha. you’re suggesting people to actually “learn to use Twitter to the best of your ability”… that’s smart, but rarely people want to learn about Twitter, they’re dazzled with the so-called get 1,000+ followers instantly type of how-to guides…
it’s a shame that such products are on the market. it won’t leave space to real genuine advice like twitip offers
@tracibrowne
I understand where you are coming from and to a point I do agree with you. However, I don’t think it’s so hard to get out of that trap in twitter or any other social media community tool of choice.
I don’t always see eye to eye with my twitter buddies. They say things I disagree with but I take the time to think about it because I feel like I know them a little bit and they at least deserve my looking at it from their point of view.
I have paid attention to what people are tweeting and if I like what they are saying, and by like I mean they are adding value or are interesting, I tend to follow their blog if they have one. Then I get to know them a bit more. Based on spending months reading other people’s blogs I have even recommended them to clients or friends when they’ve inquired about a service provider or product in their particular field.
Staying stagnant with any tool is your own fault. It’s up to you to see how you can use it differently. Or how you get get more from it.
@TwtrCoach
It’s ok to have a little Tweet vent Nathan.
Once I said that Twitter has become like a online reality show. We are just doing something everyone else is doing without being particular productive.
It is something about real time ‘news’ that is fascinating, but at the same time brings things out of perspective.
And I could not agree more that there is a difference between business and community. But it kind of get tricky when your community is your business.
But yeah I will also continue be a Twitter fan for a long time to come.
There are several challenges for us that believe Twitter is more then just a Reality Show. We have to use our little influence to change the trend you describe here. Or else we might risk get back to our desk, and pick up the old battles. And that’s not we are here..
I think we not only have to be game players, but start define the game.
Twitter had such a tremendous growth last year so it is not unnatural that we start question ‘What Now?’
Cheers.. Are
@InthezoneCraig
Great post although I would challenge the comment about creativity in supportive teams. The best teams in business & sport have that culture of support you talk about and the creativity will naturally flow as well as challenge others to achieve very special things. I do take the point that this is harder to achieve in the context you discribe. Interesting as I am still a twitter bunny myself.