What I Like About Twitter

Wow - I'm on a roll. This makes THREE blog posts today! One might say I'm making up for lack of quality with quantity, but only if one wasn't very nice... Apparently, I can go weeks without anything whatsoever to say, and then be hit with a flurry of thoughts that I just have to write down.

Earlier today I tweeted: "#thingsiloveabouttwitter: By the time my FB friends realize there's an issue, my argumts are alrdy tight from debating on Twitter weeks ago."

That statement does contain a bit of hyperbole. I do have informed friends on Facebook. Also, the statement applies not only to Facebook, but to my larger social sphere. But the concept is true.

On Twitter, we're hashing things out in real time. We debate, argue, sometimes scream and get red in the face. No matter the outcome, we generally leave the argument with a concise statement of our respective opinions ready to be delivered in as diplomatic a manner as possible when the larger world gets in on the discussion. We've already heard the counter arguments, debunked the fallacies, and recognized the valid ones by adjusting our positions as needed.

I didn't have this before Twitter. I had a few political friends, but they fell into two very distinct camps: Those who agreed with me to the closest degree possible, and those who disagreed with me to the furthest degree possible. Discussions with those two groups rarely helped me mold a concise and diplomatic statement. With my like-minded friends, we discussed from the perspective of similar world views and with shared vocabulary. With my nemesises (nemesi? I have got to look that up...), I was in no way concerned about diplomacy. Discrediting my opponent was the main objective. Twitter gave me a group of people with whom I shared basic values, but with whom I didn't necessarily share opinions on the means to our objectives. This group of people has been invaluable. So I guess I should add "#thingsiloveabouttwitter: All those folks who will engage with me on the issues and not unfollow me when we scream and get red in the face at each other." But I guess that's more than 140 characters, isn't it?