And only a tiny fraction of adults in the US are on Twitter at all. That is why it's unnerving to see politicians and corporations so readily bend over backwards to appease Twitter. This is a big reason for the polarization on both sides - Twitter encourages so many declarations and steps one after the other in such rapid succession that we are sprinting away like never before.
I ignore pretty much anything that happens on twitter. I don't have any friends that use twitter either. Most are Instagram users and share moments and thoughts on that platform. The media gives Twitter its power because it amplifies the tweets politicians and others make.
> That is why it's unnerving to see politicians and corporations so readily bend over backwards to appease Twitter.
You're right, and it really doesn't help that plenty of media outlets either rewrite Twitter activity into a story, or quote tweets in their articles. This has a huge amplifying affect on the power of Twitter. It feels like it's representative, though it's far from it.
It's not Twitter driven, though. The mainstream media picks a narrative to suit their commercial interests, and then filters Twitter to cherrypick evidence for it.
Twitter just optimized a process that use to be calling around to friends to get the desired "vox populi" quote.
> This is a big reason for the polarization on both sides - Twitter encourages so many declarations and steps one after the other in such rapid succession that we are sprinting away like never before.
I am becoming more convinced that Twitter is a net negative for humanity and for liberal democracy.
If you tried to come up with something g to tear apart a society, it would be hard to do worse than Twitter.
The platform doesn't do anything to promote actual engagement in conversation and instead actually provides tools that serve to only promote an echo chamber.
Any user that is seeking to promote one point of view can endlessly churn out tweets from their perspective. If anybody challenges them in any way, asks them to provide backing or evidence of some type, or provides any details disproving their claims all the user has to do is block that user and continue posting. The blocked user no longer has access to even view those tweets and anything challenging the preferred narrative is not even allowed into the conversation.
There is no limit to blocking people. You don't need justification to block somebody. I understand it's necessary to be able to block harassment but the way it's implemented goes well beyond that goal.
Don’t tell me a country that only elected its first black President 11 years ago (and has yet to elect a woman) wasn’t dealing with some serious polarization problems
This is retconning history and deflecting away from the fact public apathy towards involvement in the political system is the problem
Mental gymnastics need to stop and the public need to take a sober look at their own negligence
American citizens literally built Twitter. Not the government or one CEO
American citizens prop up the profit value of it
Grow up America. No wonder it’s a hole, the generation in charge is lost in their 80s memes and nostalgia
It really is working like that for any global communities. Reddit, HN, facebook, twitter, there is no escaping it. As soon as a community is big enough to cut personal connections you're in for troubles.
I'm on a few hobby forums which are either restricted to a geographic area or a very niche hobby and there is literally no drama, everyone is chill, arguments are civilised, you can talk about everything but it never gets out of control. It's like talking to your parents or your best friend who has a diametrically opposed opinion vs screaming at a stranger you disagree with at a political rally.
When I joined Twitter I thought, "Oh cool, I'll follow the celebrities and journalists I like, and they'll talk about cool stuff that's coming out, maybe crack a few jokes, and it will be fun"
I left when I realized that most of them just use twitter to vent about politics.
19 comments
[ 3.3 ms ] story [ 46.2 ms ] threadYou're right, and it really doesn't help that plenty of media outlets either rewrite Twitter activity into a story, or quote tweets in their articles. This has a huge amplifying affect on the power of Twitter. It feels like it's representative, though it's far from it.
Twitter just optimized a process that use to be calling around to friends to get the desired "vox populi" quote.
I am becoming more convinced that Twitter is a net negative for humanity and for liberal democracy.
If you tried to come up with something g to tear apart a society, it would be hard to do worse than Twitter.
Any user that is seeking to promote one point of view can endlessly churn out tweets from their perspective. If anybody challenges them in any way, asks them to provide backing or evidence of some type, or provides any details disproving their claims all the user has to do is block that user and continue posting. The blocked user no longer has access to even view those tweets and anything challenging the preferred narrative is not even allowed into the conversation.
There is no limit to blocking people. You don't need justification to block somebody. I understand it's necessary to be able to block harassment but the way it's implemented goes well beyond that goal.
Twitter made it visible
Don’t tell me a country that only elected its first black President 11 years ago (and has yet to elect a woman) wasn’t dealing with some serious polarization problems
This is retconning history and deflecting away from the fact public apathy towards involvement in the political system is the problem
Mental gymnastics need to stop and the public need to take a sober look at their own negligence
American citizens literally built Twitter. Not the government or one CEO
American citizens prop up the profit value of it
Grow up America. No wonder it’s a hole, the generation in charge is lost in their 80s memes and nostalgia
You’re doing this to yourselves
---------> Muting options for words and hashtags
https://help.twitter.com/en/using-twitter/advanced-twitter-m...
I'm on a few hobby forums which are either restricted to a geographic area or a very niche hobby and there is literally no drama, everyone is chill, arguments are civilised, you can talk about everything but it never gets out of control. It's like talking to your parents or your best friend who has a diametrically opposed opinion vs screaming at a stranger you disagree with at a political rally.
I left when I realized that most of them just use twitter to vent about politics.