I am a recent convert to Twitter. I actually opened an account more than a year ago but, for the longest time, couldn’t see any reason/value in using it. I was put off by the image of standing in line at Starbucks and tweeting ¨I am standing in line at Starbucks.¨ Who cares, right?
Then I had that ¨aha!¨ moment where I realized that the value of Twitter is not my subscription but that of everyone else. I typed in my first search for #politics and was soon following a typically progressive group including @alternet, @newyorker and @SenatorSanders. I signed up for the news feeds from @cbc, @aljazeera and @bbc and was easily seduced by the smart snark and righteous outrage of @LOLGOP, @Shoq and @AngryBlackLady.
My stream grew and I even accumulated some followers (I was briefly impressed that someone would choose to follow ¨little old me¨ until I realized they were mostly #pornbots). As other users will attest, one of the great things about Twitter is the serendipitous nature of some of the contacts. You hashtag search your favourite book, TV show or sports team and soon you have met an interesting someone who shares your interest. I have come to believe the new adage:
Twitter is where you become friends with people you don’t know and Facebook is where you become enemies with those you do know.
