Monday
OpinionThe Day Twitter Became Massive
Twitter has been huge for a long, long time. However, now it has become massive. Now everybody knows what a tweet is, and what the expression “micro-blogging” refers to.
The recent media race involving Kutcher and CNN has made many broadcasters around the world aware of the importance and outreach a media like Twitter can have, and the number of new adopters when Oprah sent her first update live are estimated to be over 1 million.
How does this mass-awareness affect Twitter? Any sociologist would tell us that when a previous “underground” phenomenon becomes mainstream, original followers depart from the scene and their positions are occupied by others. It happens in every area and field of life. Think back to the mid-60’s when mods became a media phenomenon in England. Right then, the original mods moved away from the scene, and they were quickly replaced by new faces.
Of course, Twitter was not an underground phenomenon under any circumstance. It wasn’t even a “well kept secret”. It was out there, and it was huge. When the huge becomes even bigger, lines are blurred or marked more clearly.
Predictably, some seasoned Tweetheads have begun voicing their discontent as regards the new influx of Twitterers. Some even went so far as to create an app that will let anybody know if a Twitter user created his or her account before or after Oprah’s live update.
Personally, I cherish the fact that more people will be able to communicate among themselves and have access to breaking news on the spot. Also, think of the charity uses Twitter is being put to. Hugh Jackman is following on the steps of Ashton Kutcher, and he won’t be the only one.
People being people, some are always bound to reminisce about “the old times” when Twitter was not massive, and the scene was different, and who knows what else. The old times are the old times. That’s it. Look forward, people. Relish having a new audience that you can communicate something to.
Post Tags: Ashton Kutcher, Hugh Jackman, microblogging, Oprah, Social Networking, Twitter
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