Amber Simmons is a writer and web content strategist. Subscribe to her blog. Or, you can just drop her a line.
As I sit here watching the Presidential debate, I am simultaneously reading people’s responses on Twitter (specifically, all the talk about McCain repeatedly using the term “my friends”).
I’m fascinated by the responses. I’m fascinated by the similar things so many people have picked up on. I’m fascinated by the way we relay our thoughts and feelings, and more interestingly, that we are relaying our feelings about the election and the candidates with utter strangers via virtual real-time conversation.
Someone told me that what she likes about Twitter is the fact that it makes her feel less alone. She can be by herself in her home office, and yet being surrounded by Tweets from both friends and strangers centers her and helps her see herself as part of a vast network of artists, writers, politicians, mothers, and carpenters all out there doing the work. Twitter, for her, is a window through which she can see a busy world.
I am watching the debate alone, but I am also watching the debate with hundreds of other people. Hell, with hundreds of other people who are annoyed that John McCain keep saying “my friends”. I can choose my company that specifically. That’s astonishing.
My mother was taught that neither politics nor religion is discussed in polite company, and yet one generation later I can sit here and not only read but participate in disparate “conversations” about these politicians, their eccentricities, their gaffes, their policies, and their presentations. We are free to discuss our fears, what we found amusing and what pissed us off and, astoundingly, to feel like our opinions and feelings on these things matter.
Maybe that’s the real value of technologies like Twitter. They make us feel that we matter.
What could we do as people, as individuals, if we felt that our opinions our strengths, our unique qualities truly mattered? What could we accomplish if we believed with our whole hearts that our words, thoughts and actions could actually affect and change the world around us?
I’ve always known technology would change the world. I’m not sure I was aware of the many degrees of truth nestled in that belief.
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October 10th, 2008
I think that it’s better that we have conversations about politics online — it’s easier to find sources to back up your points, and to prove if other people are FOS.
I’m curious to know how separated the online and physical lives of people are. I don’t like it when people talk about my blog to my face (even though they usually say nice things), but I don’t mind if they mention a tweet. Strange.
October 14th, 2008
You’re probably right. I try to avoid political conversations altogher because while I have strong gut feelings about certain things, my ability to turn theory into practice is seriously wanting. I was a value debater in high school; policy debate throws my mind for a loop.
I find it interesting you don’t like to talk about your blog. I’d be curious to hear why, once you’ve unpacked it a little.
October 16th, 2008
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