Twitter

[M_IMAGE]

In the future there will be two kind of business - the successful ones that embrace social media and others not longer in business.

Twitter is great way of networking and marketing your business and it is free - for minimum effort you get a good return.

This come from an anti until 15 months ago - today I wish I had started years ago!

[Essex Lad]

one eyed jack wrote:

> Twitter is an excellent marketing tool to be used to target
> your core audience and keep them informed by way of promotion
> and advertising.
>
Yes, I'd agree with that but why does every Tom, Dick and Harry want to have an account? Most people have nothing of interest to say so why do they want to say it to the world? If you are so concerned, most companies' twitter accounts can be read without having an account.

It is also yet another example of the me-culture. Why does every celebrity feel the need to tweet their condolences when some other celebrity (they've never met) dies? Hysterical when Harry Styles tweeted "RIP Baroness Thatcher x" and one of the first responses was "May he rest in peace" and another "Was he a friend of yours?"

[Sam Slater]

[quote]Yes, I'd agree with that but why does every Tom, Dick and Harry want to have an account?[/quote]

Not every Tom, Dick and Harry does have an account. There were around 10 million Twitter users in the UK in 2012 but over 63 million people. Or 1 in every 6 of us.



[quote]It is also yet another example of the me-culture.[/quote]

One in five Facebook and Twitter users are over 65. So maybe this supposed 'me-culture' has infected the old just as much as the young?



[quote]Why does every celebrity feel the need to tweet their condolences when some other celebrity (they've never met) dies? Hysterical when Harry Styles tweeted "RIP Baroness Thatcher x" and one of the first responses was "May he rest in peace" and another "Was he a friend of yours?"[/quote]

I didn't see that tweet.......how could I? I don't follow Harry Styles. You let slip your little secret there, Essex Lad? Hahaha.

Anyway, I think the reason this happens is that when every celebrity does tweet their condolences no one wants to be the one left out, if you know what I mean, for fear of looking uncaring. It's social pressure.

Imagine you're in a pub with friends and a guy walks in you've never seen before. He's mates with one of your friends. He tells your friend his Mum's just died and all your friends tell him how sorry they are to hear it and give him their condolences. What do you do as he glances over at you? You don't know him or his Mum but I bet you you do the exact same as everyone else, right? And you don't even do it grudgingly. It comes naturally. We are social animals.

I admit my scenario is a little more personal than via a social network over the internet but the same social pressures and habits have their affect.

Weird, innit?

[Essex Lad]

Sam Slater wrote:


>
> [quote]Why does every celebrity feel the need to tweet their
> condolences when some other celebrity (they've never met) dies?
> Hysterical when Harry Styles tweeted "RIP Baroness Thatcher x"
> and one of the first responses was "May he rest in peace" and
> another "Was he a friend of yours?"[/quote]
>
> I didn't see that tweet.......how could I? I don't follow Harry
> Styles. You let slip your little secret there, Essex Lad?
> Hahaha.

Nope, I'm not on twitter or facebook ? I read that in The Guardian online.


>
> Anyway, I think the reason this happens is that when every
> celebrity does tweet their condolences no one wants to be the
> one left out, if you know what I mean, for fear of looking
> uncaring. It's social pressure.

No it's not. It's showing off. Amanda Holden miscarries. Very sad but for her and her family and friends. It has absolutely no affect on the rest of us. Piers Morgan tweets his sympathies for his "dear friend". If he is that concerned, why not simply call her, email her or drop her a note ? why does he have to show how caring he is to the rest of the world?

And would anyone really notice if some celebrity didn't add their voices to the chorus?

>
> Imagine you're in a pub with friends and a guy walks in you've
> never seen before. He's mates with one of your friends. He
> tells your friend his Mum's just died and all your friends tell
> him how sorry they are to hear it and give him their
> condolences. What do you do as he glances over at you? You
> don't know him or his Mum but I bet you you do the exact same
> as everyone else, right? And you don't even do it grudgingly.
> It comes naturally. We are social animals.
>
> I admit my scenario is a little more personal than via a social
> network over the internet but the same social pressures and
> habits have their affect.

A little more personal? It's nothing like a social network and in any case if you do say it, it is to their face, you don't announce it to the whole pub.

[one eyed jack]

Twitter is for everyone. You can choose who you want to follow for what motives you might have ie a favourte porn model, a comedian but it all begins with choice when you follow the person of your choice.

I fail to see whats wrong in that.

So people post up pics of the food they are about to eat. Im still waiting for someone to post up a pic of the food they digested Now that would be hilarious !laugh!

[Sam Slater]

Celebrities are, by their nature, show-offs. It's why they're celebrities. The shy and reserved would make boring celebrities. Look at how Andy Murray has been seen as the glum, boring athlete.......maybe he just looked glum and boring because we're used to loud, extrovert people in front of our cameras. It's how it goes.

You also seem to know a lot about what Piers Morgan, Amanda Holden and Harry Styles say on Twitter, despite your aversion to it all. Did your read those too on the Guardian? Come on, Mr. Lad - you're never off it, are you?

My analogy with the pub was a bad one, but it wasn't strictly meant to be an analogy. I was just pointing out that real-life social pressures and traits no doubt manifest themselves on social networks, as do -as you like to point out- vanity and self-obsession.

And there have been many an 'RIP' thread on here over the years. I doubt every poster had personally known or met the recently deceased. Sometimes it's enough to admire somebody from afar to feel the need to express your sadness or publish your condolences to the outside world or a little community like this.

Weird, innit?

[Essex Lad]

Sam Slater wrote:


> You also seem to know a lot about what Piers Morgan, Amanda
> Holden and Harry Styles say on Twitter, despite your aversion
> to it all. Did your read those too on the Guardian? Come on,
> Mr. Lad - you're never off it, are you?
>
No, Mailonline...

[Peter]

one eyed jack wrote:


> So people post up pics of the food they are about to eat. Im
> still waiting for someone to post up a pic of the food they
> digested Now that would be hilarious !laugh!

Rio Ferdinand seems to like telling people he's going for a dump, ask him!

[max_tranmere]

Here Twitter explains just how pointless it actually is. The person waffling on here even acknowledges that most of what is said on Twitter is of little value to others and has little point. I quote:

"You wouldn't send an email to a friend and tell them you're having coffee (TRUE). You're friend doesn't need to know that (VERY TRUE). But what about people who want to know about the little things that happen in your life (WHAT, SO THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO KNOW I'M HAVING COFFEE?)".



In addition to all my other criticisms of Twitter, I also think it has a stupid name.

[Sam Slater]

Most conversation is pointless.

Is you telling the forum you don't like twitter any more or less pointless than any tweet you've read? I never sat up at night wondering what you thought about twitter and knowing you dislike it doesn't alter what time I get up tomorrow or how I go about my day.

I don't really care what a work colleague did over the weekend, even though I might ask. I don't give two fucks what the weather is like in Majorca though I might ask a friend that's over there next time I text or call her. My Mum doesn't really care what I had for tea tonight but asked anyway.

I suppose my first statement was false. There is a point to pointless conversation. It's called 'socialising' and 'human interaction'. It's our nature and it's proven that we lead happier, healthier lives the more we do it.

I know this reply is just as pointless, given you won't take a blind bit of notice but what can I do? I'm human.