I just finished spending an hour roaming the Twitterverse and I’m set to make a bold prediction: Stephen Harper will win the federal election.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, you’re saying. Back up editor-boy, how dare you subvert the traditional election process and anticipation with such a claim.
Allow me to explain.
This federal election is being dubbed by many as the “social media” election. If this is indeed the case, my newfound Twitter passion tells me if the contest is to be judged on number of followers, it’s game over. The Tories hold both the Twitter and Facebook edge over the Liberals. Make way for a majority.
For those readers who have no idea what I’m talking about — I know there are plenty of you out there — I offer a brief tutorial.
Twitter was founded in 2006 by Jack Dorsey and his buddies down in San Francisco. It’s called a micro-blogging social media outlet that allows people to interact and share information in 140 characters or less (called tweets).
OK fine, I’ll back up even further (Mom, I know you’re reading this). Social networking is the way people communicate in this day and age while sitting in front of their glowing screens. Everybody under the age of 30 is completely plugged in to this trend and it’s pretty much going to be the downfall of all mankind.
I’ve been very skeptical of Twitter for many years. I’ve only recently found a comfort level with Facebook, so getting tangled up in yet another potential time sucker has given me pause. But I’m in the business of communication and it seems silly to hide my head in the sand when it comes to the future.
The turmoil in both Tunisia and Egypt have been called Twitter revolutions. Great change is being spurred by this technology, so who am I to buck the trend? I’ve been on Twitter for almost a year now, but after dipping my big toe in the waters for too long have decided in the last month to dive in headfirst.
Basically Twitter is a way to follow people and have people follow you. Brief messages to a greater community in which you yourself assemble. An exchange of information and intelligence with those who share common interests.
I have 33 followers. Pretty impressive, considering when I speak it always seems like nobody listens. Barack Obama has 7,352,233 followers. Even though he trumps me by 7,352,200 followers, my self-esteem is kept in check knowing he’s the leader of the free world. The fact Lady GaGa has 9,307,607 followers, on the other hand, does not make me feel particularly great about the state of the Twitterverse, universe or any other kind of verse.
The list of who I follow grows every day. So far the total is up to 104 and I’ve gone for a bit of potpourri of tweets.
My list includes people like Hollywood director Judd Apatow, Green Day, Katy Perry and Boston Rob from Survivor. Admittedly this is the kind of thing that causes people to scoff at Twitter as a medium of communication... celebrities who allow us to stalk their every move. But I’m a sucker for pop culture, so I follow.
My list also includes some gal who goes by amy_geek. This self-proclaimed nerd and blogger enables me to keep up to date on all the Star Wars and comic book conventions she attends in California. Since I’m unlikely to ever attend one of these events, I can live vicariously through a total stranger. Awesome.
Of course these people are a diversion. The real benefit — and I’m serious here — is that Twitter allows you to stay up to date with organizations and individuals like Bill Gates, The Globe and Mail, Maclean’s magazine and pretty much every other key leader and publication in the world. Important thinkers and observers who pass on information or provide links to items that make us better for taking the time to explore.
If you’re reading this column then presumably you follow a path of knowledge, of finding out more about the community you live in. Twitter is like following the path on steroids (not that artificial enhancement of any sort should be endorsed). Used in this capacity, the skeptic in me has been converted.
In a world where mental congestion has reached a level of Friday afternoon rush hour in Vancouver, most people are reluctant to cram more information into their skulls. That’s understandable. Yet, even if you sign up for Twitter, nobody’s asking you to sell your soul. You can still maintain your off-the-grid Kootenay lifestyle, but if you choose to log in to your Twitter account as a guilty pleasure then a whole new world is opened up.
Despite my newfound zeal for Twitter, I’m not sold on the whole “social media election” hype. With 122,644 Twitter followers, Prime Minister Harper holds a pretty distinct edge over his rivals. Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff boasts 86,220, NDP leader Jack Layton is third with 76,276, Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe has pulled in 52,432 followers and Green Party boss Elizabeth May trails with 18,982. These numbers are interesting, but giving it too much credence is dangerous.
That’s no reason to write Twitter off. Five years ago nobody knew what Twitter was and today there are more than 200 million active users. Used correctly, it plugs you into a whole new stream of knowledge diversions like Facebook can’t. It’s painless and at least worth a try.
And if you do sign up… you’ll find me @BobbyHall10.
Bob Hall is the editor of the Nelson Star.