Brain-Jockey

Intervention for the Tweetless: Top Reasons They Don’t Twitter

Written by Audrie Zettick on December 4, 2008

I created a Twitter ID last Spring but didn’t understand how to cut through the clutter.  Even in 140 characters or less, I didn’t have time to hear that someone was changing the cat’s litter box or had broken up with a boyfriend.  I started tweeting again recently and wow…now I “get it.”  (Follow me at AudrieZettick). 

 

In a recent column, Hugh Hewitt discussed his adoption of Twitter and why he viewed the medium as important.  The first several comments to his column were caustic.  Some excerpts here:

 

• “bush lied and boys died”  ”if the glove dont fit you must acquit”   two good examples of lies that consist of under 140 characters. nice. now we have a convenient mechanism to get out short messages for people with short attention spans.  

• More likely it is no attention span, no discernment, no intelligence and, as some say, an open mind.

• Twitter is ideally suited to marketing campaigns which aim for endless repetition of short, memorable slogans. Its pretty useless for any sort of reasoned argument. Its fine for demonrats who just want to send the talking point of the day to people who can hardly remember back as far as yesterday, but not very good for a political philosophy that requires thought and actual understanding.

 

Uh huh…. 

 

These people need an intervention.  I am assuming they fall into these categories:

 

You’re A Brain Dead Luddite.   OK. Not much I can do for you there.   

 

You don’t think anything worthwhile can be said in 140 words or less.  In the last week, via Twitter, I’ve joined with thousands of people in signing petitions to stop EPA regs and in support of a Tax Holiday instead of an auto bailout.  I’ve worked with others to get information out on who is running for RNC chair, among other things.  Links were sent to me leading to detailed platforms of candidates for RNC chair, useful info on the “fairness doctrine,” the card check initiative and inspiring quotes.  Well, I did find out where the Wii Guitar Hero bundle is selling for $69, which is vitally important too.  I have a teenager.

 

You don’t have time.  Granted, Twitter can be a massive black hole, sucking away your time. But it needn’t be.  You don’t have to be glued to your PC or mobile phone.  To start, just fit Twitter in when it seems appropriate–once a day at the very least–and follow some streams of conversation of interest to you and “tweet” on these issues to form relationships.  There are numerous tools  to help you manage your “followers” and issues you follow, if you choose.  You can also subscribe via feed to hashtags for groups you follow.

 

You have no idea how to set up an account.  (check here then)  

 

You’ll never find friends to follow or follow you.  With regular use and some time invested up front to research who tweets about conservative politics (and then “follow” them), I am developing an extensive network of people from whom I learn, who respect my opinion and who want to join with me to regain conservative principles and “creds” for the Republican Party.  Find someone you like and see who they follow.   (Check out Smart Girl Politics where some more people in my network blog).

 

Everyone’s on equal footing.  I’m “following” some of the RNC Chair candidates and some are following me.  Saul Anuzis and Katon Dawson are both in my network. So are many state and federal elected officials from around the country, including Bobbi Jindal. (I have to admit, Saul outdoes himself each day.  The man is a maniac with letting our conservative twitter network know what’s going on).  Most importantly though, is keeping in touch with the “everywoman and everyman” out there who are interested in where our country is going.   

 

You already think you know everything.  As I’ve gotten to know some of the people I follow, I’ve come to respect them as sources.  One twitter friend regularly posts his research and reading for the day via a Delicious bookmark (Flap’s stuff).  

 

There’s a start at an intervention for the Tweetless.  If you are a conservative starting out on Twitter, try following the folks from the Top Conservatives on Twitter.   If you’re Al Franken, go stuff eat some ballots.