Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Do you Twitter?

Twitter....I don't understand it. I mean I have watched the "Twitter in plain english" video and checked out their website and even seen some people twitter in person...it's just I don't understand the point.

Going back to the MySpace and Facebook phenomenon I got the point of being able to communicate with people through your computer and cell phone via the internet. I have to say that I have been able to connect with many old friends, but only once or twice since I added them as a friend on my facebook page. However, it is kind of fun to be able to read what people are thinking and going through. The strange thing is that I know more about the youth that I work with from their facebook page than I do from talking with them. How sad is that? So knowing that my youth love to be on facebook and give lots of updates in their "status" I would assume that Twitter is the next greatest thing in life...right?

This past Monday I took an informal survey at our High School worship asking how many people had a Twitter account. What followed was rather shocking. All I got were blank stares. "Really?" I thought, was I completely wrong? There were no Twitter accounts to be had and all but a few even knew what it was. Wow, that was a shocker. So I showed them the Twitter in Plain english video and they looked like they had just seen the dumbest most pointless thing ever. They laughed and scoffed at the concept. It actually made me feel a little good inside knowing that it would be a few months or even a year before they get tired with Facebook and move to the next thing, possibly Twitter.

So, because I saw a reaction I was glad to see I showed them this video:



I found this video hilarious and completely agree with the "why the heck is this even needed?" thought. I mean really, is this something anyone really needs to do. What's the point? Don't get me wrong, I like knowing what people are up to. But Twitter is taking me back to college when I would ask my friends how their day was going. Most would say good and give me a few highlights. Then there was Nate, I would ask him and for the next half hour it was a complete rundown of his day. Yikes. I love Nate to death, but it kind-of became a joke in our circle of friends, still is.

My point: in life we can feasibly keep somewhere between 15 to 20 actual real friendships. Those are the people you can connect with, know their name, what goes on in their life, and more importantly go deeper in conversation with. You can tell them your pains your sorrows you can actually work towards a solution for your problems. Is that something that Facebook and Twitter can provide. I don't think so.

Really in the end you can put out a plea for help online and people will respond, i have seen it. But when it comes to getting to the depths of your problem and a point where it's better to be right next to the person and helping them when they need it most, that is something that Twitter and Facebook can not provide.

There is a time and a place for surface friendships, but make sure those people you really care about know it and can trust you to be there when it matters most.

Blessings,

dain

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