Reflections on Twitter

I started experimenting with Twitter. 

Follow me if you are interested:

http://twitter.com/AndyRowell

In short, with Twitter you can update people by answering the question, "What are you doing?" in 140 characters and people can follow what you are doing.  The fun is seeing in real time what those you are following are up to and those who follow you can know what you are doing. 

In the hierarchy of quality writing, Twitter is near the bottom, just above text messaging and instant messaging. 

• Nobel Prize literature
• Published material
• Graduate papers
• Undergraduate papers
• Blogging
• High school papers
• Elementary school papers
• Twittering
• Instant Messaging
• Text Messaging

My first impression is that it is pretty narcissistic practice and a waste of time but I am still experimenting. 

nar·cis·sism
–noun

1.
inordinate fascination with oneself; excessive self-love; vanity.

2.
Psychoanalysis. erotic gratification derived from admiration of one's own physical or mental attributes, being a normal condition at the infantile level of personality development.

To clarify, I don't think the people who do it are more shallow than anyone else.  I just think the dynamics of the technology do not lend themselves to quality relationship-building or quality reflection.  The same also applies to Facebook (which I also do a little) and blogging.  Read books!  Interact with human beings in the flesh! 

Still, often my blog has greased the wheels to have good face-to-face significant conversations with people and has made me a better writer.  Will I be better informed about the world outside of my study carrel at Duke's library because of these technologies?  Probably.  Will I be better able to get connections to write and teach?  Probably.  I have already done a lot more writing because of the exposure my blog gives me.  Does this technology give me practical reminders of why I am doing this doctoral work?  Probably.

I think David Swanson is right in the comments when he says that Facebook and Twitter supplement his relationships with his congregation because many of them are in their twenties and use these tools.  As for me, my Facebook and Twitter friends have almost no relationship to my primary day-to-day relationships.  Facebook was more useful for me when I used at Taylor University as a professor.

Wisdom in using these technologies is needed.     

I will end with this quote by Neil Postman in 1998, author of Amusing Ourselves to Death,

In the past, we experienced technological change in the manner of sleep-walkers. Our unspoken slogan has been "technology über alles," and we have been willing to shape our lives to fit the requirements of technology, not the requirements of culture. This is a form of stupidity, especially in an age of vast technological change. We need to proceed with our eyes wide open so that we many use technology rather than be used by it.

Below are nine posts by church leaders I follow who use Twitter.  They can explain its "benefits" and how it works.  Below that I have listed the people I am "following." 

1. Why We Twitter

from Tony Morgan | one of the simply strategic guys

2. Twitter

from Mark Batterson - Evotional, Thoughts on Life and Leadership

3. Twitter- Lost & Found?

from Dave Ferguson - Velocity

4. Twitter Community

from Mark Waltz | ...because People Matter

5. The Kingdom of Twitter

from Tim Stevens - LeadingSmart

6. 5 Reasons Why I Love Twitter

from Mark Batterson - Evotional, Thoughts on Life and Leadership

7. The Beginner’s Guide to Twitter

from Michael Hyatt - Thomas Nelson Publishers CEO From Where I Sit

8. 12 Reasons to Start Twittering

from Michael Hyatt - Thomas Nelson Publishers CEO From Where I Sit

9. How Do You Use Twitter?

from Dave Ferguson - Velocity
Here are some church leaders I am following:

djchuang / DJ Chuang

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jasonclark / Jason Clark

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cwdaniels / c. wess daniels

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ahc / Andy Crouch

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pagitt / Doug Pagitt

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PastorMark / Mark Driscoll

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kemmeyer / Kem Meyer

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MarkBatterson / Mark Batterson

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cameronstrang / Cameron Strang

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daveferguson

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tpmorgan / tony morgan

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perrynoble

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davidswanson

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DanKimball

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knightopia

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tallskinnykiwi

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michaelhyatt / Michael Hyatt

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edstetzer / Ed Stetzer

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timastevens / Tim Stevens

Comments

[David Swanson]

A "narcissistic practice and a waste of time". Strong words! But true on some level, I'm sure.

The average age of the congregation where I serve is around 25. I've been interested in how my Twitter and Facebook status updates have started conversations. I'd agree that face-to-face interaction can't be beat. Perhaps we can see these technologies and vehicles to "real" conversations.

Another way I've been thinking about these updates is that they could serve as a way to disclose more to those who I only see on a weekly basis. In my urban setting of Chicago there are only so many opportunities for face-to-face interaction during the week. It's tough for our lives to be seen by each other. Could my updates be a way to live out my faith, albeit in a virtual way? I know that I have learned plenty about the struggles and triumphs of many in our congregation by simply subscribing to their blogs and watching their status updates.

Thanks for the post Andy... it's got me thinking.

[Andy Rowell]

David, thanks for your good comment. I did start my Facebook when I was a professor and I learned a lot about my students that way. If a lot of people in one's primary location of influence and calling, use these technologies, then it supplements those interactions. For me, I am watching church leaders all over the country thus far and thus it is less useful. Very few of my immediate relationships here use it. That is a significant difference. When I was a professor at Taylor University, I used Facebook all the time because it was the way people communicated. I can see how being a pastor of 20's, you would use both technologies profitably a lot.

[Jason Clark]

Like any web 2.0 tool it can be utterly inane. However articles like this have helped me see the benefits, and I am using it with students.

http://www.collegedegrees.com/blog/2008/06/04/25-twitter-tips-for-college-students/

Jase