NY Times Columnist: Twitter Is Here to Stay

Wondering why Twitter matters or why you should pay attention to it? Some excellent answers to those questions can be found in "Why Twitter Will Endure," by New York Times columnist David Carr.

Carr sums up the short and glorious history of the micro-blogging site, his own initial skepticism, and why it is succeeding -- exponentially.

"... Has Twitter turned my brain to mush? No, I’m in narrative on more things in a given moment than I ever thought possible, and instead of spending a half-hour surfing in search of illumination, I get a sense of the day’s news and how people are reacting to it in the time that it takes to wait for coffee at Starbucks."

I had Twitter running last night during the Rose Bowl (following various hashtags -- #rosebowl, #oregon, #goducks). It was fascinating to follow the flow of the game from the perspective of fans and media types worldwide, including many at the game. At times the number of tweets flowed faster than my computer could update them. Who needs TV anyway?

Why do I think I've become hooked on Twitter? Carr sums it up nicely:

On Twitter, anyone may follow anyone, but there is very little expectation of reciprocity. By carefully curating the people you follow, Twitter becomes an always-on data stream from really bright people in their respective fields, whose tweets are often full of links to incredibly vital, timely information. ... The best people on Twitter communicate with economy and precision, with each element — links, hash tags and comments — freighted with meaning. ...

Twitter is incredibly customizable, with little of the social expectations that go with Facebook. Depending on whom you follow, Twitter can reveal a nation riveted by the last episode of “Jersey Shore” or a short-form conclave of brilliance. There is plenty of nonsense — #Tiger had quite a run — but there are rich threads on the day’s news and bravura solo performances from learned autodidacts. And the ethos of Twitter, which is based on self-defining groups, is far more well-mannered than many parts of the Web — more Toastmasters than mosh pit.

See also:
Steven Johnson: "How Twitter Will Change the Way We Live"
CommonCraft: "Twitter in Plain English"
Clay Shirky: "How Social Media Can Make History"
Oregonian: Portland Snowstorm Prompts Twitter Alerts
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Photo credit: "Time Cover Story: How Twitter Will Change the Way We Live" by steve garfield, courtesy of Flickr.com/Creative Commons

What's a Blog? Video Explains It All

A student in my Photojournalism class at LBCC came upon this simple but effective video that shows what blogging is all about.

The three-minute video, "Blogs in Plain English," was produced by Lee and Sachi LeFever for The Commoncraft Show. It's worth taking a look, especially if you're wondering just what blogging is and why it's growing exponentially.

It's among a variety of interesting videos, including explanations of Twitter, social media, phishing scams, and podcasting. You'll want to get the lowdown on zombies, too.

Thanks, Frank, for the tip.



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