I haven't been on Twitter very long. In fact, I haven't really been a fan of Twitter before now. Didn't see the point, but I thought that coupled with this blog it would be a good way to promote the blog, catch up with tech news and maybe follow a few funny people too. My golly gosh, how I have underestimated the power of Twitter. Imagine if you could whisper and be heard on the other side of the world. Imagine a place where you can hear the informal thoughts of some of the best minds. Imagine a place where people with a particular interest can have a global conversation.
I recently started to follow a fake Twitterer. For anyone who has seen the US telly series The West Wing, President Bartlet seemed a better choice than the then-real-guy-in-charge at the time, George Dubya Bush. Now I clicked the follow button I suppose because I thought it might be funny. What happened next made me understand the power of Twitter a little better. Now, on Twitter you can put a hash in front of something, and anyone else who does the same has their 'tweet' propagated into a list following that reference. The fake President Bartlet, or @Pres_Bartlet as he is known, sent out a tweet to his followers wishing anyone working over Christmas all the best, and a request to hear their stories. From nurses, to husbands and fathers in the armed forces, to people who are desperate to work, these are the stories of real people around the world, sharing their thoughts about something dear to them.
As human beings we are drawn to connecting to each other and communicating how we feel. I suspect that even if Twitter disappears over the coming decades, this form of human connection is only just beginning.
For the record, @Pres_Bartlet has over 7,000 followers and rising. Currently I have 6.
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