Navel gazing versus observing on Twitter
Oversharers that we are, Twitter has been asking us "What are you doing?" and we have responded with statements, squeezed into that little box. I don't like having my personality squeezed so. And so I have opted to update my status on Facebook (or both Twitter and FB when I remember) and blog here where people can't tell me to "zip it, lady" part way through a post. Whatever. I feel like a performer who gets really bad stage fright and have found my happy place where I can perform without the self-doubt. When I have time.
Well, that Twitter question, in my opinion, has encouraged a lot of mundane over-sharing: "I'm ordering pie"...."the traffic is making me mad"....zzzz. The answer to the question is usually an action and it can be a little boring because most of us don't really live a life of international mystery and 24x7 entertainment. So people dig, out of a desire to be part of the community, and sometimes what we get is "I'm ordering pie." I know, I am a harsh update critic. I get it. And I don't have anything against pie. I love pie.
So if the question of "what are you doing?" encourages a singular response about doing, "what's happening?" suggests that watching is good too. It's not a total departure from "What are you doing?" but there is something about the language that suggests more. Helps people get away from the "I am drinking a latte" and closer toward "I am wondering if Travis Stork would marry me if I let him perform dangerous medical experiments on me" and "101 pairs of mom jeans in line to get into New Moon." What am I doing? That's a little limiting. But What's Happening? Well....a lot. A lot is happening. A lot of things more interesting than what I am doing.
Comments
- Anonymous
November 23, 2009
Yea I need more than "Im ordering Pie." Whats Happening was also the name of a TV show in the late 70s/early 80's. LOL! (sorry couldnt resist) Personally I keep my statuses on FB and Twitter separate. Different audiences. On Twitter I dont give out my name, therefore I am a bit more anonymous. So if I say "I have a cold" I wont have 400 of my friends twittering me back. It gives me a bit more space. I have made some twitter friends, and have been live twittering a couple of TV shows with them. Thats fun. Facebook status is a bit more specific. I dont update there as much. My rule is that it has to be important or interesting. For example this weekend I found a $20 gift card to Best Buy in my desk when cleaning it out. People asked what I was going to do with it and such, and a real conversation happened. If I post there too frequently, friends wont comment as often. Whereas if its once in a while, I might get a better response. I also use FB to post links to my photography when I post new photos. Also get good feedback that way.