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December 3, 2010
My 30-Day Twitter Experiment (Pt 2)
Discovering the difference between “Look at me!” and “Listen to me!”
In Part 1 I shared my reasons for embarking on a one month Twitter experiment, as well as the parameters I set up for myself to help my stay on my goal of “tweeting for the sake of others.” In response to my first post, as well as critique of my original piece “Why I Don’t Tweet…Not That There’s Anything Wrong With It,” I had a number of folks argue that Twitter is really no different than blogging. Therefore, why am I so critical of Twitter and not blogs?
Fair question. So let’s begin there.
In the primitive ages of social media (circa 2003), sites like Blogger were incredibly popular. But a blog is a medium that says “Listen to me!” and it assumes that the blogger has something to say (at least something more substantive than 140 characters). But what happens when you really don’t have that much to say? In truth many early bloggers were attracted to the medium not because they wanted an outlet for their ideas, but because they were looking for social connection or just raw attention. This is the brilliance behind “micro-blogging” (aka Facebook and Twitter). Twitter and Facebook are not designed to say “Listen to me!” but rather “Look at me!” And as I shared in “Why I Don’t Tweet,” I think the desire to be noticed is rooted in our deep human insecurity and search for significance.
Are blogs also about being noticed? Sure, to a degree. But the better blogs are hopefully attracting attention because of their thoughtful content and helpful ideas. Good blogs serve their readers and not simply their writers. That’s the difference between “Listen to me!” and “Look at me!” The question I wanted to answer with the 30-Day Twitter Experiment was could I tweet in a way that served others? Could it be more than a “Look at me!” medium?
My answer after a month of tweeting is, yes. Twitter can be used well, it can serve others, and it can be a helpful tool. Here are a few forms of tweeting I found beneficial:
On-site Reporting
My Twitter experiment began with my trip to Cape Town, South Africa, to attend the Third Lausanne Congress on Global Evangelization. It was a once-in-a-generation gathering of global Christian leaders from over 200 countries. I tweeted from the event so those not attending might have a sense of what was happening. I shared quotes from speakers and stories from the gathering. I knew many people interested in this event who could not attend, and I tried to serve them by being their eyes and ears on the ground. (Had wifi been more reliable at the convention center, this would have been much more effective.) But to avoid “ego-tweeting” that would not serve my readers, I avoided sharing about my personal /private interactions at the event that would have simply been “Look at me!” tweets.
Research
I’m currently working on a new book. From time to time I used Twitter to briefly share an idea I was considering and asked my readers for feedback. For example, I was thinking about the relationship between fear and religion. I tweeted “All religions are systems of control rooted in fear. Do you agree?” Responses were helpful in reframing that idea, predicting objections, and clarifying my writing. Twitter became a fast way to take the temperature on a new idea—very helpful for a communicator.
Sharing Links
I read a lot online almost every day. Some of that content is really, really good and you want to share it with others. Twitter is perfect for passing along reader recommendations.
Distributing Your Creations
Jim Belcher (@JimBelcher) asked me “is there a role for using twitter as a marketing tool?” Jim and I are both authors and know the challenge of marketing books in an age when most publishers leave that to the authors. I do think it's okay to tell others about content you have created if that content is intended to be helpful and a blessing to others.
Here’s the deal … anytime we create anything (a book, a song, a sermon, a painting, a poem) there is a piece of us in that creation. So there is no way to entirely avoid the “Look at me” aspect of it. But ultimately we are to use our gifts to serve, help, and edify others, and making people aware of what we’ve created is part of that. I used Twitter to alert my readers to new blog posts I wrote over the last month. (That’s probably how some of you found this one). If something isn’t worth sharing, then it probably wasn’t worth writing.
Sharing Important News
Since last November, Matt Chandler (@MattChandler74) has been using Twitter to keep us updated on his battle with cancer and to point us to his blog where he’s posted videos and entries. His example shows why many of us value the immediacy of Twitter. But there is a danger here as well. Matt shared with me that news of his seizure and hospitalization on Thanksgiving Day 2009 spread via Twitter before he and his wife had time to share the news with many of their family members and church leaders. I’m not sure a tweet is how most of us would like to discover such news about a loved one. Still, if you want to spread important news, Twitter doesn’t just let the cat out of the bag … it launches the feline with a catapult.
So, what’s my final verdict about Twitter? Will I keep tweeting? I think so, but not a lot. It has its uses, but it’s not my preferred use of time or energy. While I stand by my original critiques of Twitter, I’ve come to realize it can be used well if used thoughtfully. And I’m looking to “follow” people on Twitter who model such care.
Is Twitter evil? Of course not. But it does tempt many of us to an unhealthy and ungodly form of social digital narcissism. But that’s not really Twitter’s problem … it’s our problem that Twitter merely uncovers. I’m reminded of that scene in The Empire Strikes Back when Luke Skywalker sees a mysterious cave strong with the Dark Side of the Force. “What’s in there?” he asks. Yoda replies, “Only what you take with you.” So it is with Twitter.
Comments
Announcements/prayer requests are good. I have asked our church staff to regularly say when they are in staff meetings or board meetings, etc so that I can pray for them.
While I like that you are thinking about how to best use twitter, and you have moved past your knee jerk position of "twitter is bad", I still think that saying "this is a good use of twitter" is very limited form of cultural criticism. Part of the issue is that you will never use it in all the ways that it can be used. Necessarily you are just making some suggestions of ways that you have found useful.
But I do appreciate the ending of this article. With virtually all tools, how we use them says more about us, than about the tool itself.
Posted By: Adam Shields | December 3, 2010 7:22 AM
I have also cautiously entered the twitterverse, and have found some helpful ministry applications as well as a bunch of content that I'd just as soon ignore. One key for me has been using Tweetdeck to filter Twitter content. I can't imagine simply using Twitter from the main website.
And ultimately, while I occasionally tweet, I have gained far more from "listening" than from speaking. I think there are good analogies to conversation, which may move beyond your "look at me" analogy.
I wrote some about the conversational analogy and other ministry application here:
http://robertaustell.blogspot.com/2010/11/online-ministry-tech-twitter.html
In God's grace,
Robert Austell
Charlotte, NC
Posted By: Robert Austell | December 3, 2010 8:22 AM
As the writer of a fledgling blog with what I can only hope is a mission beyond my own selfish interest, I just recently signed up for Twitter for the first time.
I avoided Twitter for the sake of Tweeting, but I'm finding it to be a great way to find likeminded people who may be able to catch the same vision that I have.
Your post on this is great (and even though I came in on the tail end of your 30 day experiment, I intend to go back and read the whole thing)...thanks for taking the time to research exactly what I've been wondering.
Nice work!
Posted By: Rich | December 3, 2010 11:41 AM
"Are blogs also about being noticed? Sure, to a degree. But the better blogs are hopefully attracting attention because of their thoughtful content and helpful ideas."
Hmmm. I just don't see the distinction you see. Lots of bloggers think they're providing "thoughtful content and helpful ideas," but a lot of it is for men to see and the content and ideas just about non-existent, to put it plainly.
Why not take the same time and energy spent blogging and, say, volunteer to teach Sunday school or perform some other less-noticed task? This is real service, when you do what needs to be done. Only God will see, but you will have a reward in heaven. As it is, you have the "reward" of a handful of hits, a FeedBurner badge and ... what exactly?
Twitter and Blogger (and all the others) are communications media. If you have something to communicate, use them.
Posted By: Dave | December 4, 2010 1:39 PM
Skye, very nice series. I've bee tweeting for awhile. People tweet all kinds of information but what I especially appreciation are those whose tweets give me access to interesting information. Some will tweet during conferences. Because of that, I have listened to a particular podcast of one of the speakers. I also appreciate those who tweet links to books and articles that I would otherwise not see.
I have attempted to tweet similar kinds of information. Again, thanks for your two posts which gave me the opportunity to rethink this.
Posted By: Jim Martin | December 4, 2010 3:34 PM
Great series of articles. I appreciated all of them. I came at the tail end, so I had the opportunity to see your experience in hindsight. I also went to your Twitter feed...I actually went between reading Part 1 and Part 2 of this article. There were more than a few posts were I thought, "Oops! He just violated his own standards!" Then read this article where you addressed some of those decisions.
All in all, I think the greatest benefit from you bringing this to our attention is the challenge to think through the things we do. Far too many of us rush in without even considering the implications for our lives...or our souls. Not to be too heavy, but all these small decisions add up to be life-altering choices.
A person I respect deeply once said that far too often we are guilty of living unexamined lives, especially in the area of technology. She decided to be intentional by only having a land-line, then only returning calls at certain times. I know what you are thinking, but this was just 4 years ago, not twenty. She called it "intentional living" and she was frustrated with how she was constantly forsaking those who were with her for those who demanded immediate attention. We know we are in trouble when we sincerely ask the question,"How did I ever live without this?!?!"
There are very few things we can't live without. Thank God.
Posted By: bil_ | December 4, 2010 5:53 PM
As I read what u had to say, I was disappointed. If u spent just half the time on your knees in The Scriptures, begging for enlightenment, u would have been far better off. The Question u posed was one of protecting your flesh. for if u had asked, How many here believe in Christ u would have been crucified.
He calls us to study His Word and pray and witness to the lost. Not chit chat that leads to vain questioning.
The so call church has left her first love and is playing the harlot with the world.I beg u to come to your senses and fall in love with Christ and stop ego trips that are damning, and crucify your flesh. St. Paul said in II Thessilonians 2 that there WILL come a falling away from the true church's teaching, also in I Timothy 4 that people WILL depart from The Faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.He will send a strong delusion for people to believe a lie, who have not Him as their first love.
I know what I said is harsh, but sometimes people need a good old fashion dope-slap across their head to get them to WAKE UP!
Posted By: Linda Lanouette | December 5, 2010 8:08 AM
Linda...um. What? First, 'good old fashion dope-slap' does not really occur via cyber space. Second, what does twitter have to do with falling away from true church teaching. You can choose to not use it, you can say it is a waste of time. But to connect it with "falling away from church teaching" is a pretty far leap without any thing to connect it.
Posted By: Adam Shields | December 8, 2010 12:36 PM
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