http://www.bookymedia.com/2009/12/why-twitter-doesnt-deserve-to-be-called-a-social-networking-tool/ Observations of two disillusioned old-media churnalists Sat, 03 Apr 2010 17:34:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 http://www.bookymedia.com/2009/12/why-twitter-doesnt-deserve-to-be-called-a-social-networking-tool/comment-page-1/#comment-23 Why every online community needs a suicide policy | FreshNetworks Blog Wed, 23 Dec 2009 12:54:36 +0000 http://www.bookymedia.com/2009/12/why-twitter-doesnt-deserve-to-be-called-a-social-networking-tool/#comment-23 [...] husband’s been reading John T Cacioppo’s Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection [...] [...] husband’s been reading John T Cacioppo’s Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection [...]

]]> http://www.bookymedia.com/2009/12/why-twitter-doesnt-deserve-to-be-called-a-social-networking-tool/comment-page-1/#comment-19 James Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:03:01 +0000 http://www.bookymedia.com/2009/12/why-twitter-doesnt-deserve-to-be-called-a-social-networking-tool/#comment-19 Cheers D, thanks for reading the post. Anything that lowers the transactional cost of communication is fine by me, and I think that's what Twitter has done really well. My worry is how dangerous it can be to misdiagnose loneliness with a tool that doesn't actually solve the problem of needing proper, deep social connection. A 'friend' isn't the same as a friend, it seems. Loneliness is as dangerous to the body as obesity and smoking, it's not just feeling a little alone. Just think it's important to recognise Twitter's limitations so we can carry on looking for the real cure. Find it quite interesting how many frustrated and angry people there are on Twitter, just as with outside a bar at kicking out time. Cheers D, thanks for reading the post. Anything that lowers the transactional cost of communication is fine by me, and I think that’s what Twitter has done really well. My worry is how dangerous it can be to misdiagnose loneliness with a tool that doesn’t actually solve the problem of needing proper, deep social connection. A ‘friend’ isn’t the same as a friend, it seems. Loneliness is as dangerous to the body as obesity and smoking, it’s not just feeling a little alone. Just think it’s important to recognise Twitter’s limitations so we can carry on looking for the real cure. Find it quite interesting how many frustrated and angry people there are on Twitter, just as with outside a bar at kicking out time.

]]> http://www.bookymedia.com/2009/12/why-twitter-doesnt-deserve-to-be-called-a-social-networking-tool/comment-page-1/#comment-18 dave Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:05:53 +0000 http://www.bookymedia.com/2009/12/why-twitter-doesnt-deserve-to-be-called-a-social-networking-tool/#comment-18 Good piece - that all makes sense - but I do think though, that, by stripping down communication to its essentials, twitter is very good at bringing people together who, ordinarily (ie -in the real world) would never meet: whether because of age, class, social interests, physical appearance or whatever, they simply wouldn't be in that bar to watch you get teary and violent. So from that point of view, I appreciate its purity. It's like one massive episode of dating in the dark, and, because of that, I've become 'friends' with folk I perhaps would never have met. And, maybe, I will meet them in reality one day... Good piece – that all makes sense – but I do think though, that, by stripping down communication to its essentials, twitter is very good at bringing people together who, ordinarily (ie -in the real world) would never meet: whether because of age, class, social interests, physical appearance or whatever, they simply wouldn’t be in that bar to watch you get teary and violent. So from that point of view, I appreciate its purity. It’s like one massive episode of dating in the dark, and, because of that, I’ve become ‘friends’ with folk I perhaps would never have met. And, maybe, I will meet them in reality one day…

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