A year ago, I’d have laughed in your face if you told me I’d be using Twitter on a frequent basis.
Heck, I would have asked you “what is a twitter?”
Now it is a big part of my daily activities — from finding out what friends are up to or hearing about hot topics, it has become the tool that the developers intended it to be — a microblog.
When my mom ranted a couple of months ago about where I find all this time to do Facebook, blogging, and tweeting, I just didn’t bother answering. Part of me knew she wouldn’t understand what I would explain to her. The bottom line…it doesn’t take much time or effort.
I recently wrote a new column for my regular place at i711.com and this column will focus on how these multimedia tools have replaced several mainstays in the deaf community — particularly deaf periodicals. (When I get the URL of the article, I’ll post it.) In that column, I explained how tweeting and updating one’s status on Facebook has replaced the way we receive news.
Remember how when Michael Jackson died, he nearly brought the Internet with him. We, as society, crave instant results. Instant gratification. As a high school teacher, I see that all the time now. My students want to know their grades now, now and now.
Jared Evans recently presented at the DCARA vlog symposium and was gracious enough to allow his followers to view his PowerPoint presentation. One story from his presentation stood out for me.
Just how powerful Twitter can be in the Deaf community.
Remember the Netflix dilemma?
Jared illustrated that in the days after the furor started, Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin joined the bandwagon with her Twitter following. Because of the ability to do searches in Twitter (#Netflix) and RT (retweeting), word of what Netflix said flew through space like the Millennium Falcon. In a week, Matlin doubled the number of followers from 5,000 to nearly 10,000. All because of RT’ing.
While we may have lost our ability to be patient and wait for news to come via TTY or from house visits from our deaf friends, we have gained a powerful tool that can be used to measure how news gets to us.
Heck, even now, I just got a tweet from a friend who’s at the National airport waiting for a flight to Oregon. *snickers*
Oooh, who’s the friend going to Oregon? I just arrived last night! I’m easy to find: 22-lb. baby on my hip.
Tweet her to come say hello to me! =D
That is, if the friend is going to the Deaf Women United conference. =P It must be Shilpa? I look forward to meeting her and going to her workshop! =D
I still haven’t got hooked on Twitter. In fact, I am not sure how it works. =P Facebook is my way of connect with Deaf community, friends and families. =)
@ Kiwi — yep, it’s Shilpa. Give her a big hug from me!
@ Christine — it’s fun, easy to use…but of course no pressure. If you don’t like it, don’t use it