Part 1: Nobody Puts Twitter in the Corner!
With 77 inspired comments (and counting) over there at Will's blogging joint, this Twitter-esque debate seems to be sparking something primal that resides deep within the veins of our collective human experience.
What precisely is it about this Twitter that causes folks to line up like frenzied tech-politicos on 2 sides of a life-or-death chasm? Is it really that vital?
Certainly -- one can safely say -- it has to be something deeper than simply micro-blogging 140 character idea chatter, technology platform arguments, or even emerging calls for "netiquette" codification in order to support the unintended 'business' of fostering legit edu-development for the seemingly obvious what are you doing hamster wheel.
Part 2: How Deep is that Itch?
It's gotta be touching something inside our bone marrow. Beyond logic's reach. Like a reaction to spiders or chocolate.
Almost thinking that if we can crack this socialized DNA code of customized Twitter @semi_life_truths, we may be actually end up farther along the edu-blogger growth curve than anything else we've seen since the first sighting of the ever insta-pundant-like digital (big)foot-print circus tent we all perform in.
Me, I can't help but admit that my own use of Twitter has gone Fonzi-like, finally jumping the shark on the tangible value vs. impetuous want wave.
Note:
I offer zero comment on anyone's passionate/personal stake in the Twitterscape. Clearly it serves a compelling list of needs, conversations, radars, and personalities.
To each his own, and all that 140-character-updated jazz.
For me, however, the experiment is officially over.
For all the perceived a value that others have rhetorically demonstrated (with passion and logic alike) that this wacky little digital tool brings, my decision has nothing to do with the tool itself, let alone any 140-character case studies that may be presented at the edu-conference in your corner of Google Earth.
Part 3: Jumping that Shark
What it does have to do with, however, is an investment in something larger, more profound, more real, more to-the-point.
Something that serves kids, schools and community. Directly and unapologetically, rather then in the signal vs. noise camp.
And for me, if even 10% of my Twitter-use falls into the:
- silly
- distracting, and/or
- real-time backchannel miscommunication
categories, then I need to admit its time to:
- take off the leather jacket
- put away the water skis, and
- tell Fonzi to leave that shark that time-jugglin' shark alone.
P.S. All Good in the Micro-Blogging Hood
If I were to still be full-on in the Twitter-game, I'd propose 2 projects:
- Someone's gotta buy/develop the www.140characters.com domain. Great meme-spark for someone to start posting completely out-of-context "best of" Twitter screenshots in the meme tradition of LOLCats, opting of course for good-natured/quirky fun (over the chum-feeding frenzy of misrepresenting larger patterns of sincere conversation without the vital backstory/tone added for good measure)
- Perhaps I'd try to nudge the @Twitterverse and its related @EduBlogger brethren to follow @HoldensJourney (and his mighty superliteraryherovoice posse this fall as they fictionally rock-n-roll with this microblogging concept, showcasing what classrooms/kids could do for the power of good if they gave @Piggy, @Iago, and @Winston some creative space as their respective stories unfold in 140-character idea bursts.
Mmm. Dang near reason to stay in the game. Shrug.
As I hinted at above, I still retain the right / desire to keep tabs on my homies and devil advocates alike. And anyone that takes time to DM certainly deserves a reply.
Other than that, my Twitter has officially left the building.
Suggestion Box
Please DM @HoldensJourney if you
- have any questions
- also seek literary global micro-dominance
- wanna suggest nifty collaboration projects to help real kids, or
- simply wanna drop off a tasty cheese plate to feed us as we leap for that pesky brass ring.
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