Perhaps I’d like to be convinced?
You clearly think I’m wrong to question the orthodoxy that Twitter’s a good thing
That’s fair enough. I don’t think you’re wrong to question why people like it, but I do think you’re wrong to just wade in off-topic on someone else’s thread sounding off why you don’t as though the rest of us are all sad celeb-stalking idiots.
Your comments didn’t read to me like you were asking why people like it, they appeared wholly negative. I’m genuinely sorry if I misjudged / misunderstood you, and TBF it’s a common gripe of mine and not solely related to this thread so I’m a little over-sensitive about it perhaps. “Wah wah something you like is shit” – don’t read it / watch it / use it then. Why do some people have this driving desire to belittle or spoil things for everyone else? Does my gourd in.
Anyway, in answer to the question then. I think perhaps what you get out of Twitter is a sum of a) what you put in and b) who you follow.
For the latter, you’ve got to remember that these are all just people. The fact that some people just aren’t interesting isn’t a failing of the media; you just need to exercise some quality control. For instance, I used to follow Kevin Smith, I like his films and thought he’d be a laugh. The bulk of his output turned out to consist mostly of “I’m about to have a joint” or “I’m about to knock the back out of the wife” so I simply unfollowed him. There’s no social stigma in doing this, it’s not Facebook.
I follow friends. Sure, you don’t “need” to know your brother’s just fitted a shower, but is it not the sort of small talk you’d have? “Fitted a shower, tell you what, drilling tiles is a right PITA, but it all works and I’m dead chuffed.” If he said that to you over a pint in a pub, would you say “I don’t need to know that, what else have you got”? Maybe it’s just me, but I like seeing tweets from mates saying what they’re up to. It’s a good talking point next time I see them; “hey, how was that movie / art gallery / strip joint / Peru then?” At an age where many of my friends aren’t on the doorstep any more, it’s a nice way of keeping in touch. Years ago, people had pen pals. They’d nothing important to say to each other then either.
As for my own output, I try to be interesting but I don’t feel obligated to. Idle thoughts and jokes go out there along with personal stuff, snapshots when I’m out and about, and cool things I trip over on the web which historically I might’ve emailed to friends instead. Ultimately though, I don’t really tweet for an audience’s benefit; if people like it they can read it, and if not they don’t have to.
