Chirp chirp / Truer words were never before spoke
typed for your pleasure on 28 September 2009, at 5.38 pmSdtrk: ‘F for fake’ by Wallpaper
*flips through stack of papers* According to my records, it seems that I’ve been using Twitter, the microblogging service everyone loves to hate, for exactly one year, which is a surprise to me as it is to you, more than likely. To be honest, I didn’t think I’d get that much use out of it! But it’s not a bad little service if you use it right, apart from all that timewasting I manage to do with it, when I could be writing legitimate posts. Ah heh.
It’s actually connected me with more than a few fab individuals with similar interests; or, at the very least, people who are willing to put up with me going on about how I’ll be joining the lads for another tokusatsu-watching session, or whatever videogame that’s captured our collective fancies that eve. Also, I like to view my Twitter feed as like the secret Davecat Fan Club newsletter of sorts, cos with it, I can share stuff with my followers that might not necessarily get posted to ‘Shouting etc etc’, or, thanks to this blog’s WP-to-Twitter plugin, they’re always the first to know of any new posts that get published, which they can ignore at their leisure.
One of the personalities I follow is actor and writer Stephen Fry, a man who has been likened to a contemporary Oscar Wilde due to his breezy and witty approach to things, wrote a post to his blog in defence of Twitter:
The clue’s in the name of the service: Twitter. It’s not called Roar, Assert, Debate or Reason, it’s called Twitter. As in the chirruping of birds. Apparently, according to Pears (the soapmakers presumably – certainly their “study” is froth and bubble) 40% of Twitter is “pointless babble”, (http://is.gd/2mKSg) which means of course that a full 60% of Twitter discourse is NOT pointless babble, which is disappointing. Very disappointing. I would have hoped 100% of Twitter was fully free of earnestness, usefulness and commercial intent.
the rest of the article is here
Twitter does a rather good job of conveying information and ideas in a pretty expedient and fun manner. You can keep your Mybook or your Facespace; I’ll stick with the birds instead.
Speaking of Wilde, yes, I’m reading my copy of ‘The Soul of Man under Socialism‘ again, as it’s a fantastic essay. Also, I’m in need of new books.
A great deal of nonsense is being written and talked nowadays about the dignity of manual labour. There is nothing necessary dignified about manual labour at all, and most of it is absolutely degrading. It is mentally and morally injurious to man to do anything in which he does not find pleasure, and many forms of labour are quite pleasureless activities, and should be regarded as such. To sweep a slushy crossing for eight hours on a day when the east wind is blowing is a disgusting occupation. To sweep it with mental, moral, or physical dignity seems to me to be impossible. To sweep it with joy would be appalling. Man is made for something better than disturbing dirt.
Try to tell me he’s wrong! Try to tell him he’s wrong! The answer is simple:
you can’t
Random similar posts, for more timewasting:
Ears are bleeding: supplemental on July 21st, 2006
Speaking of Hallowe'en.. on November 1st, 2004
September 28th, 2009 at 5.46 pm
As a member of the Davecat Fan Club let me say I’m so glad to have found you to converse with. You are one of my favorite internet friends. Maybe even my favorite..hehehe (Shhh)
I agree about Twitter..I found it because of you and LOVE IT! So thank you dear!
Now I gotta get back to tweeting..twittering..talking to much.. LOL
September 28th, 2009 at 5.53 pm
You know, I wasnt keen on Twitter when I first discovered it myself. I was worried that it would just bring out some sort of narcissism out of me. Basically, I worried it would be presumptious to assume anyone would CARE what the fark I was doing.
However, it is a great trainer for people who have lose the will to blog, especially from a traumatic event. Just think, 140 character posts are easier for someone who has become a shut-in, than it is to write a blog.
Kat
September 28th, 2009 at 6.00 pm
Twitter isn’t horrible. It’s kind of pleasant.
September 30th, 2009 at 9.16 pm
I really have no clue what twitter is or how it works. I know it would be easy enough to find out, but I prefer to feel like an alienated old fart from time to time.
What ARE those whippersnappers up to these days?
October 1st, 2009 at 12.53 pm
Mrs Ardeaux –
You’re a fantastic person to know as well, you know! And how was this friendship made possible? Twitter™. Well, Synthetik companions and Twitter. 🙂
Kat –
Your initial thoughts on Twitter mirrored mine as well. Before my friend Monti mentioned it last year, she’d actually told me about it a year or so previously. I was kinda intrigued, but ultimately I came to the conclusion that I had nothing to say that anyone would want to read. I still stick with that conclusion, but I tweet about it regardless. 🙂
Like they say, everyone has at least one book in them! Which doesn’t speak very well of their diets. 😉
JM –
Another way to look at Twittré versus actual blogging is: Twitter is a burger and fries, whereas a blog is a full-course meal. Unless, of course, you’re eating books (see above)
WG –
What are whippersnappers up to these days? Snapping whips, mostly. The bottom fell out of the whipping snaps market, so the savvier ones are retraining themselves to stay in the slightly-more-technical whip-snapping field. Which is nice work if you can get it, as you well know. Look what it did for this gentleman!
Like you, I was confused as to what the hell one actually does with Twitter. Then I watched this video, and all was made clear! With someone as interesting as yourself, being in a faraway land of Japan, I’m certain your tweets would be worth reading…
It’s not a bad thing, Twitter. It keeps me off the streets. 🙂