Twitterpation Emancipation

I have a Twitter account. It's relatively new; I created it in December for the DIWD conference. At first, it was enigmatic—strangely liberating in its strict limitations. But I didn't know what to do with it.

The DIWD conference illuminated one good use for it. And then the conference ended and so did my use of Twitter, for a while. When I had people listening to me, and me to them, in an immediate social environment, it made sense to have immediate "shout-outs" of public messages, thoughts and questions. But I still wasn't sure what to do with it.

Each message is brief: 140 characters, which can fit into a cell phone text message. Brevity promotes concision, or not. Sometimes it cheapens the message, because it's small and freely sent (and it's hard to be concise!). But what could I do with it?

I have several blogs, multiple email addresses, instant messaging handles, phone numbers, addresses, mail boxes, social networks, a religion and church, neighbors, communities, and a country that I love. Why do I need Twitter? It turns out that I don't. It needs me.

By participating in the tweeting world (and its environs), I'm contributing a minor measure of wisdom, enlightenment and improvement to a new collective consciousness that is humanity—the world over. Humanity doesn't really need me to survive, but it does need me in order to thrive, to improve, to live.

Like blogging, tweeting (and any other similar, public expression) is a form of preaching, of exhorting, to any listening ear. Most will turn a deaf ear. Some will hear and a few will actually listen, comprehend, and change. This is a new age of prophets and mages, sages and sophists, priests and pimps.

We have some new pulpits and the street corners are now on the crossroads of the World Wide Web. But the messages are the same:

• Save Darfur!
• End greed, avarice, and selfishness!
• Down with tyrants and terrorists!
• Feed the hungry!
• Heal the sick!
• Teach the ignorant!
• Free the oppressed!
• Save the children/animals/forests/environment!
• Save the World!

Or are they? Mixed into these noble messages are their own antitheses. And to muddy and confuse even more, lots of garbage, empty words, missunderstandings and deceptions.

Some people look at blogs, tweets, IM's, emails, and much of the new media, and see a confusing waste of time, talent and resources—or worse, a great conspiracy of Satan to destroy all that's good and wholesome.

I see something deeper, richer, and promising—something that I didn't really expect. I see me; transparent, visible, and exemplary. My faults are my own, and they should not stand. But they are most likely to be removed by open, public recognition and renunciation (i.e. repentance). I have something to say. I have something to give.

This follows the example of Christ, whom I have covenanted to emulate. And the web is my Jerusalem. Hopefully, it's not my Golgotha!

Just some thoughts, this late night. These were triggered by a good discussion with my wife (we have lots!) and some articles I read this week. They deserve posts of their own:

Security vs. privacy? Reinterpreting the Fourth Amendment

and

The Rise Of The Social Nervous System

Good night world! I love ya.