Three Unwritten Laws Of Twitter

Having recently rediscovered Twitter as a tool for Professional Development, I woke up my snoring account to share my thoughts on education and technology. Well, to share great resources if I could help it. I even gained some followers, which made me keen for more (it seems there is a power-hungry dictator hidden in each and every one of us social networkers). Let's just say I like an audience, as it makes my learning experience more authentic (well, this is what we try to convey to our pupils, right?!) Some days Twitter sent me several messages a day that 'so-and-do was now following me!' (the exclamation mark came from Twitter). When new followers looked interesting, I followed them back. Then something interesting happened: I lost followers. Twitter never mentioned those. No exclamation marks here, they simply pushed a button and detached themselves from my world. Lost in space. I felt betrayed. I started paying attention: plus three one day, minus 2 the next. Or worse, the other way around. If the number of your followers still lies within the two digit range, you are actually happy with +2... and sad about -3. Right? So this had become my sad life: chasing my socalled Twitter fanbase. And what an unfaithful and unpredictable fanbase it turned out to be... But why? After a while I figured it out: it is the unwritten Twitter Law of Reciprocity: "I Follow You if You Follow Me - and you've got 24 hours to respond!" Is this why some people have 4.539 followers and follow 4.526 people? What's that, my single reader? Is this me being jealous? Hell no, I am proud of my 91 followers - oh that is 90 now. That must be because of unwritten Twitter Law #2: Don't Talk about Numbers. Pretend numbers don't count, because everyone knows they do anyway. Unwritten Twitter Law #3: Be There All the Time. Even if you have to set a timer to rehash old tweets and blog posts every other month - even if this results in posts like 'Great Tools for Thanksgiving' in March or 'the one that I saw today; 'Summer Vacation is here - What Are You Up To?' It is February.

Good, that makes three Unwritten Rules Of Twitter - I can sense a tweet coming up.

The Internet is Guilty

I'm a member of many networks, from dedicated networks such as Classroom 2.0 to monsters like LinkedIn. I have a Hyves page (yes, I'm originally Dutch), a Facebook Account, and Twitter. I have several blogs, three of which are completely neglected. I love to read, but when? All we have time for nowadays is a quick scan through the latest news. Not by reading papers, but newsletters and blogs. My friend R. calls it grazing. I also have a job. And a family. It's way past midnight and I managed to update one of my networks, not by communicating with others but by updating my bio. I've been on LinkedIn for years but have never done a thing with it. Now I found many old friends and colleagues, from Hilversum and London to Atlanta... if they join my network, I'll have even more people I know I will neglect. Is this the time when everyone feels guilty about not having enough time to do all the things you want to do and know you could do, but never will be able to include in your schedule? Are we never making the most of the Internet, and does it slowly dawn on you that you will never be able to - that we're not kitted out for it? Not have two brains, four hands, 48 hours in a day? I guess my contacts (there was a time when I simply called them friends...) will just have to wait until I am a Silver Surfer, sitting on my retired behind on a lovely beach with wLan - yes, of course the whole world will be wireless by then, it'll be as common as using the sidewalk, like Prof Dueck from IBM likes to reflect. So, in about 25 years I'll be bombarding my friends with emails and entries, updates on my wonderfully quiet and peaceful life, about the latest novel I read, or the tweets my grandchildren sent me. See you then!