We’ve been experimenting with using Fritter – pardon me, Twitter. If you don’t know what it is, count your blessings. If you do know it, you likely either love it or hate it.
What is Twitter? Well, it’s instant and text messaging gone berserk on a global scale. You can Twitter from your computer, cell phone, Blackberry (TwitterBerry), and heck, even from your Xbox.
Now that I have your attention, here’s one more definition of Twitter from Wikipedia:
“Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that allows its users to send and read other users’ updates (otherwise known as tweets), which are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length.”
We hesitate to declare new technologies loathsome before we use them, but I have to say that Twitter is a huge challenge to our objectivity.
Most Tweets (remember, those are Twitter messages) are inane, self-absorbed, nasty or juvenile. It appears to us to be navel starring on a colossal scale.
And, yet, if you try it, the thing you may notice the most is Twitter’s ability to distract you.
Twittered to Distraction
The most disturbing article we’ve seen about this phenomenon was in this summer’s Atlantic Monthly. It’s Nicolas Carr’s “Is Google Making Us Stoopid?” What the Internet is doing to our brains.”
The villain of the article is not really Google, but it is scarier than a Stephen King story:
Over the past few years I’ve had an uncomfortable sense that someone, or something, has been tinkering with my brain, remapping the neural circuitry, reprogramming the memory. My mind isn’t going—so far as I can tell—but it’s changing. I’m not thinking the way I used to think. I can feel it most strongly when I’m reading…
Now my concentration often starts to drift after two or three pages. I get fidgety, lose the thread, begin looking for something else to do. I feel as if I’m always dragging my wayward brain back to the text. The deep reading that used to come naturally has become a struggle.
Read the full article – if you still have the attention span.
It scared us. We just attended a technology convention where nearly everyone in the room was Tweeting the convention away. The true believers would tell you that they were smoothly multi-tasking. We tried it – and couldn’t follow what the panelists were saying, lost the thread of questions and conversations and began to feel that insidious creep of nervous inattention.
And yet, we’re also intrigued. We’ve already found a myriad of ways that businesses, especially small businesses, are using Twitter to build their sales. And, as a social connection tool, we’re surprised. Twitter just connected us with another National Speakers Association member – this time from Australia.
The question, really, may come down to the one that was asked near the end of that convention – the sense of it was – just because we can, does that mean we should?
Thomas Friedman has covered the world of online connectedness in many award winning books and articles. Listen to what Mr. Friedman wrote in an article called Foreign Affairs; Cyber Serfdom – and when you read this remember that he wrote it in January of 2001:
My favorite, though, was that we now live in an age of what a Microsoft researcher, Linda Stone, called continuous partial attention. I love that phrase. It means that while you are answering your e-mail and talking to your kid, your cell phone rings and you have a conversation. You are now involved in a continuous flow of interactions in which you can only partially concentrate on each.
”If being fulfilled is about committing yourself to someone else, or some experience, that requires a level of sustained attention,” said Ms. Stone. And that is what we are losing the skills for, because we are constantly scanning the world for opportunities and we are constantly in fear of missing something better. That has become incredibly spiritually depleting.
…. The assumption now is that you’re always in. Out is over. Now you are always in. And when you are always in you are always on. And when you are always on, what are you most like? A computer server.
What about you? Are you comfortable with Twitter? Are you comfortable with “continuous partial attention?” How do you see the future – and what is technology and the Internet doing to you?
24 comments ↓
“Continuous partial attention” sounds a hell of a lot scarier and more revolutionary than it actually is. Optimists and open-minded pragmatists — as well as people who lack the need to come up with some new phrase to sell books or something — would simply call it “multitasking.” You know, getting things done and stuff.
I’m always quick to remind people, not as a criticism of their criticism but just because I think it’s important to remember, that Twitter is *not* mostly “inane, self-absorbed, nasty or juvenile.”
*People* and the minutiae of their daily lives are frequently inane, self-absorbed, nasty or juvenile. But they can also be brilliant, enlightening, hopeful, helpful, funny, interesting and beautiful.
The beauty of Twitter, as opposed to, say, your mailbox or the local NBC affiliate, is that I choose who I want to pay attention to — and I also have the option of directly interacting with them, too. If the stuff I’m reading on Twitter isn’t interesting, it’s my own fault.
There’s a separate issue of whether, logistically and technologically, “being on Twitter” fits into your life and meets your needs, of course. For some people, there’s no interest or need to even give it a try, and that’s OK.
To wrap this rant up, I’ll close with this: People joke about technology alienating people from other people. To me, that’s the most shallow and ignorant criticisms I’ve heard. Relationships that have started online and moved into the real world almost outnumber the reverse, as of late — some passing acquaintances and some more meaningful than that.
For example, the story of how I became friends with your brother…
…or how I “met” this guy online first, then in person, and how he has nice things to say about both you and me: http://goldencompass.com/blog/this-guy-is-wiser-than-an-oatmeal-cookie/#comment-11697
Thanks, Mike,
If readers of this blog want to know more about how Twitter can be used to improve your business and expand your relationships – give Mike Keliher’s blog a click on his name above. We’ve written about him and admitted we wanted his guidance with this whole Twitter thing – http://goldencompass.com/blog/this-guy-is-wiser-than-an-oatmeal-cookie/
All good points, Mike. Two points back:
1) I think there are far too few people who question the proliferation of technology in our lives, so I like to do it once in a while.
2) What I wrote is true for me – my own equilibrium and my own humanity is getting seriously whacked-out and I think discussions like this might get me back on track and teach me how to deal with equanimity with the dissonance. But, sometimes, “rants” (as you call them) like yours make me just feel like I’m being told to suck it up – get used to it.
I think the online and technology explosions raise huge questions (and I think both Thomas Friedman and Niclolas Carr would agree) – and I wouldn’t have asked folks like Mike Keliher for feedback if I didn’t think it was worth the discussion.
What I find most interesting about Twitter is the search capability. When Game 1 of the ACLS wasn’t on Comcast in Boston, the phone lines were jammed, but I used the twitter search function (”ACLS”, “Red Sox” or something) and got conversation between folks interested in the same thing, including several with info on what was up (TBS router and backup router were down), score of the first inning, and news that TBS was back up.
I agree that it is eerie to be in a room with lots of folks twittering or live blogging away. But for those who aren’t, when you can twitter the conference name, you often get links to summaries of panels you didn’t attend.
I also used search to follow a Congressional race in VA that was very tight. (Perriello v. Goode – Perriello leading by 745 votes out of 340k cast).
I attended the BizTech conference in San Francisco a few weeks ago, and the woman next to me was Tweeting away. Having never used it, I asked what her experience with it from a business standpoint has been. She told me 3 interesting observations:
1. She thinks it’s a great business and personal tool
2. She told me not to start tweeting if I don’t have time for it in my life, as it is addicting
3. She hasn’t seen any direct positive impact to date on her business
I think it’s great that you and Sheryl gave it a whirl before writing it off. And though I don’t tweet myself, I am open to the possibility that this might become a powerful business tool. I have two small children and have no need for another way to divert my time and attention. But if it’s going to help me grow my business, I am open.
When people started using websites, then blogs and social networking, many were slow to accept them and get involved. I think the jury is still out on this one.
I DO think the new technology and all the great distractions call for our own self-discipline. “Set down the iPhone and play with your kids,” I routinely remind myself.
Thanks for this intriguing post.
I’ve likewise written about “What Your Tweets Say About You?” and the “Ten Fundamental Values of Social Networking at Work” in our blog – unfortunately, most of the interaction on Twitter is a complete waste of time.
Although Social Scientists refer to it as “ambient aware” and have proved value in extracting unique insights about others by constantly being aware of their thoughts, actions, I’ve seen little of that insight either provided by the people I’m following or gathered by my followers.
I’m currently in the process of enhancing & upgrading the quality of the individuals I’m following, based on the relevancy of their role to my focus on social networking @ work. I’m also trying to make sure I’m updating my followers with insightful / unique value-add in the tweets I share.
Best,
David Nour – founder
Relationship Economics – Atlanta
Thanks Claire, Robert and David,
Claire, since search is our subject we’ve got a couple of interviews scheduled with Twitter searchers. Maybe we can add you to the list. Still think it’s nuts that Twitter search is a different site than Twitter, but we’ve already beaten that dead horse.
Robert, Nice to have someone with a first person story about sitting next to a Twitter. As has happened with me, sitting next to one at a speech or workshop may not distract them, but it sure as heck distracts me! We’ll keep you posted on our journeys.
David, If you don’t know, David Nour is an expert on social networking and is going to be in Denver this Saturday for the meeting of the Colorado chapter of the National Speakers Association. It’s open to the public – and reasonably priced considering the value you’ll get.
Thanks for the thoughtful comments from all three of you.
Wow – this is a long article. Can you summarize for me in 140 characters? You can tweet me @chrisboyer…
The title of this post, “Continuous Partial Inanity,” calls to mind the manner in which one of the 3-M developers of the Post-It note described its unique characteristic. “It’s temporarily permanent,” he said.
Or perhaps he described it as permanently temporary. Either way, the Post-It has proven itself to be one indispensable tool.
I don’t know if I can say the same of Twitter, not yet.
I’m still a relative newbie, having used Twitter for only one month or so. And I must admit that much of what I’ve read so far is inane. “Leaving the office now,” or “Stuck in traffic,” has no “value added,” as David Nour referred to it.
But what Twitter has allowed is for me to “meet” public relations professors and professionals (Hello, Michael Benidt) from across the nation. These people have given me advice and tips on great resources and perhaps I have given some the same in return.
I’m willing to give Twitter more time. The more I learn about it, the more I might learn from it.
Back to Chris Boyer,
Touche, Buddy. Nice job. I’ll send you an @chrisboyer message on Twit.
Hi Ellen,
Thanks for the comment. Ellen is a professor and we’re hoping to get her to have her students weigh in on the topic. “The more I learn about it, the more I learn from it” sounds like a good motto to us. We’re skeptical, too, but not quitting yet.
Great piece, Michael — you are very right that “far too few people question the proliferation of technology in our lives.” Thank you for doing so! This is even helpful for someone like me, who’s been Twittering for upwards of a year now (some 2100 tweets – yikes!).
It’s good to step back and question things from time to time — including Twitter! I too find that much of it can be a huge bore, and I definitely need to unplug from it regularly — for example, to get serious work done! (Like long-form writing, lest my life becomes just one continuous sound-bite.)
But in my own tweets, I always strive to include useful information and links for my followers. I really have no time for frivolity and goofing off on it. To me, it’s all about how it can be a productive tool, how I can share knowledge in a helpful way, and maybe get some back — i.e., give to receive. And I do believe it to be a way to engage with people and build (or at least start) valuable relationships.
It was great meeting you at Defrag, by the way! I met many Twitters friends there, too, for the first time. And that’s always great fun.
cheers,
Graeme
http://www.twitter.com/graemethickins
To be clear, my rant was far less “suck it up” (in fact, not at all) and far more “it is what you/we make it.”
And it’s certainly a worthwhile discussion, thus the length of my rant. There was no intent to dismiss your ideas, just to convey mine (the “shallow and ignorant” might have been a bit harsh, but that wasn’t directed at you — just at a certain set of closed-minded critics who get on my nerves sometimes).
Thanks for fueling the fire.
We met Graeme Thickins (thank you for the comment, Graeme) through the Eventvue conference networking software that Defrag2008 used to help its attendees network before and after the convention. He’s one of those “renaissance” types who bridges the tech world and the quote, unquote, real world.
He’s using his Twitter expertise in the service of a new and cool online collaboration tool called OnePlace. It’s free to test out – did I happen to mention it’s free to test for a month?!
So, if you think Twitter might help in your marketing efforts for your business – send Graeme a note to see how he does it.
Mr. Keliher,
We have been called “shallow and ignorant” before so we can take it. (And, for those reading this – Mike Keliher is one of our guides to the world of social networking – so we’re not yelling at each other, even though it might sound like it.)
I do believe that too often technology is alienating people from other people. The main use of LinkedIn, SecondLife, Twitter and the rest of the vaunted social networking tools seems to be self-promotion, not relationship building. You use it to build relationships, but here’s a challenge – go to the general Twitter feed and count the serious, valuable ones. I’ll even take you on if you choose the folks you’re following. Most of them are promoting themselves, saying they’re going to lunch, or speaking in code language.
But, I still like you – and value the relationship that we started online.
Many of those people are using these tools to promote themselves. But to speak in the broadest of terms, promotion isn’t bad — irrelevant promotion is.
When people on infomercials yell at me about how cool their new miracle sponges are, that’s worthless. When Michael Benidt twitters about his most recent thought-provoking blog post, that’s valuable. When I guy named Ike Pigott and I have conservations about political philosophy and then start writing about raising the quality of political discourse — and I’ve never met Ike in person, only on the Web — that says something positive.
So this is your naive optimist, signing off… (…in order to return to twittering.)
mjk
Hi Michael, I’m in Ellen’s class
When it comes to Twitter I believe the only time that this site was interesting to me was during this last election. It was fun to see everyone opinion about the results as they were coming in.
Other then that I find that I can get the same satisfaction out of an instant messaging service as I can from Twitter. It’s an nifty little tooling website but beyond that, I find that I’m just wasting my time on there.
Ah, the wisdom of younger computer users.
Thanks, Amanda, for keeping all this in perspective. We’ve been intrigued to find out that almost none of our teen and 20-something acquaintances (and relatives and kids) have even heard of Twitter.
I’m gonna’ go out on a limb and say from watching those younger tea leaves – Twitter will have a short shelf life.
By the way – I answered Chris Boyer’s challenge to summarize our blog article on one Twitter entry. I forgot to put it here:
@ChrisBoyer – Blog article summarized. If you could listen in to every conversation going on before a football game, would you want to? Less than 140.
Hi Michael, I’m another one of Ellen Mrja’s students. We were urged to try Twitter out this semester and so far, it’s proved to be just one more application that makes me unproductive. Facebook and Myspace have already taken enough days off my life, I don’t need one more thing to distract me.
Mike,
I am also in Ellen’s PR campaigns class.
As a student I feel that Twitter would be more useful to someone actually working in the profession. It is quite similar to instant messaging, but much less private. It could be a great way to keep in touch with colleagues, or get a quick news scoop. Although it seems as if Twitter is mostly mindless chatter. If I needed information from someone I would rather e-mail them instead of putting my comment out for the whole world to see.
Michael, I’m yet another one of Ellen’s students. After using Twitter for about two weeks, I can’t find a productive use for it in my life right now. Yes, it is an entertaining way to waste time, but I struggle to find a purpose for it in a professional atmosphere. I would find it much easier – and more private – to e-mail or instant message co-workers with updates or other information.
It boggles my mind to see some people that had ‘updates’ several times in one hour – do they pay people to twitter?
Thanks Jacquie, Kasey, Annie and Amanda,
Boy, I think we all better listen to these college, who have a project to study Twitter this quarter. They know social networking pretty much inside and out – and their verdict on Twitter so far is a big thumbs down.
Wisdom, in this case, seems to be missing in those older than university age.
[...] could go on for days about how cool Twitter is. People like Michael Benidt will, with good reason, occasionally throw some water on my fire, which is great. As my seemingly [...]
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