That is the question.
For the longest time I refused to get involved in Twitter. Okay, I admit that I’m suspicious when the newest gadget shows up and long lines snake around Best Buy at three in the morning. The rebel in me wants to run the other way. When iPhones and pads hit the market I was still using a flip phone. I’m averse to following every trick, the club of conglomerates dreams up to draw the last dollar from our pockets. I refuse. Secondly, I find it sad when I see entirely families staring into their devices while having a family meal. Or people at the theater checking their e-mail during the performance. Our world narrows to a display. No more eye contact or personal communication—just gazing at a screen. In many ways social media isn’t really social.
But I’m digressing. I recently decided that it was time to join the global network of tweeters or is it Twitter friends? And though I limit my time to a few minutes a day, I can happily report that I have discovered wonderful morsels of wisdom, new blog sites, free books, updates and wise words of the day. Sure, some friends report everything from what’s for breakfast to what they’re wearing. There are also a few who comb through Amazon and provide links to books. Not book reviews, not even their own books, just some book. Why? I assume to quickly develop their platform: create traffic and get more followers.
But does the end justify the means?
When tweeting, I’d like to ponder whether my content will provide enrichment to the cyber community. Is what I’m saying any good? Does it have substance? Will it entertain, informor teach? Will it make people laugh or yawn? Twitter has to be better than a catch-all of the most banal commentary. (Unless you’re a Kim Kardashian fan.) Especially since we’re overloaded with information as it is. And our time is valuable, the only truly limited commodity of human lives. So maybe before posting we should ask ourselves if what we’re saying matters.
I do appreciate all the great tweets that keep me updated, help me grow and learn, because we want to continue feeding our brains. If we don’t we slide. Body and mind are in motion. Just as we are either gaining or losing weight, we are stretching or shrinking brain cells. Let’s continue to create momentum, move forward and share. Let’s connect and grow together. Thanks Twitter community!