How Twitter Changed My Fandom: Part II

I have written at length about the effect Twitter has had on my life, both professionally and personally. I dipped my toes again in the waters of the same subject matter a few days ago when I sent out a tweet asking my followers to reply back to two tweet queries: First, replying with the number of individuals they have personally met through twitter interaction. Second, how their twitter use/style has changed over time. Personally, I had slept on the sofa of a kind-hearted tweep after the Big Sky Semifinal. Another hooked me up with a ticket to the BYU-Gonzaga basketball game. I went on a few dates with a Twitter female. My last two jobs have been directly tied to a Twitter interaction. These experiences were only the beginning. Twitter is an amazing resource. I'll come back to my second question later.


I have found that Twitter has allowed me to come into contact with a slew of great individuals. Like-minded people, with a similar but unique look at the interests we share. While the replies I received were quite diverse, there was a consistent flavor: Twitter is what you make of it. If following celebrities and catching up on the latest trending topic are your things, have fun. Some tweet a stream of consciousness; others simply read tweets without saying much themselves. Most are in-between. There is no wrong way to tweet. (Sorry Rovell)

Everyone who responded to the inquiry had met someone personally that they had not been acquainted with prior to joining Twitter. Social media at its core. In more ways than not, Tom Friedman is a clown, but he was certainly right when he said "The World Is Flat." Technology has allowed the world to shrink, and for interactions with one another to become more readily accessible.

Twitter has a near monopoly on my social media intake. I have two personal accounts (one for sports; one for news/politics/theology), two accounts for the blogs I write for, and a parody account. I use each account for differing reasons. Each account has a personality of its own. And my follower/following list on each of these accounts allow me to see Twitter with greater vision.

My use of twitter has changed dramatically over time. I am less conscious of what others think of me or my ideas. Don't take anything personally. It's just Twitter. The worst thing you can do, in my opinion, is worry about how others will react. This isn't to say that one should become belligerent or over-bearing online. No one likes that guy. I simply found that Twitter became more fun when I stopped worrying about 'who' followed me, or 'how many' followers I had. Just tweet and enjoy the ride.

The responses I received were quite informative. I'll simply post the salient ones below. Thanks again for the replies!

What avenues have been opened to you through interaction on Twitter?
What friendships have you garnered?
How has your experience changed over time?

Leave it to Matt Zemek to find a way to make 140 characters sing with beauty and brevity! 

Same with you, Mr. Green. Are you a Medill Grad student? One of the smartest men I know. 

 Jake hits the nail on the head. Life experiences and actual interaction is what Twitter is about.

From personal experience, I can say that my professional life has been greatly helped through the interactions and networking I have found through Twitter. 

Twitter has become my place for comedy. I realize just how many talented, bright, and witty people there are in this world. Never a day goes by without finding something hilarious on the Twittersphere.

How true this is! I become acquainted with @BrendanLoy this way. I made a comment denigrating Craig Thompson and he retorted with something anti-BYU. Great friendship ensued!

A not-as-crazy-as-a-messageboard crowd where anyone feels like they can express opinion. Amen.