Twitter has really become my number one social network tool. I love the micro-blogging it allows. The freedom to talk to others around the world without all the fuss with pages and apps and music getting in the way of what is truly important to me. I love how everything breaks on Twitter. News stories, deaths, anything and everything is reported first on Twitter. But with eveything it does have its drawbacks, and lately I have seen those firsthand.
I blogged on my personal site about the lies I have found others tell on Twitter, but this post is not about that. It’s about how some folk on Twitter, act is if there is some sort of velvet rope one has to cross to even communicate with them. For these individuals, I call them Twitter Snobs.
A Twitter Snob can be defined as one who wants to use the advantages of the network, but who doesn’t want to play by the rules. Instead of reciprocation, they take credit for things themselves, and want folk to follow them but don’t want to follow back. Now of course I understand that most people aren’t going to follow each and every person whom follows them. I for one don’t, especially with the spam and bots problem that consistently plagues the site. But if you have 11,000 followers and you are following 20 and you aren’t some sort of celebrity, it shows me that you aren’t really interested in communicating with others, or at least, you are only willing to let a “select chosen few” into your domain.
I don’t agree with this. I believe that if someone would be a positive reflection on your Twitter stream, you should add them. Or if you don’t feel like adding them,at least acknowledge them back when they talk to you. I know everyone wants to be a star on Twitter these days but I don’t think anyone is beyond approach. No one is better than anyone else, celebrity or not, so it pains me when I see this foolishness online.
For the most part, in my Twitter stream, I converse with everyone who engages me in conversation and I have reached out to others utilizing the same respect. No matter if you have 50 followers or 50,000, if you have something interesting to say, I will reply back and maybe even follow you if I feel the urge.
How do you feel about this subject?Are you a Twitter Snob? Do you feel that Twitter has become a sort of velvet rope for the web? Express yourself!
P.S., For those who want to follow me, you can follow me on @TheCubicleChick page or on my personal page @Dannigyrl. My personal page is private (for many reasons) but if you send me a request, most likely, I will add you!)
I guess Im a twitter snob of source. I use twitter to communicate with my nola people (we big on twitter down here), to talk to other bloggers, stay informed on programs and issues I follow, and to aggravate a few people. Every person who follow me I follow back because I know them all in some capacity or met them through someone. Since my page is private if I don't feel that person is not a good fit for the things Im doing I just don't accept them on my private account. Im a extreme private person. But I do have several other accounts for other things Im working on that is open to all..
I feel twitter is for you to build your own little mini community and only bring in added individuals that will benefit from or you will benefit from either in professional or social aspect.
Now I do feel some folks take it to far and think twitter is some exclusive club and twitter makes them a celebrity so they feel the need not to follow folks but want everyone to follow them or threaten to unfollow people and other nonsense.
Your last paragraph hit the nail on the head. No one should be forced to follow anyone. I of course, would never follow anyone who begged for followers or made threats. But I also feel that the exclusivity or thoughts of grandeur regarding one's popularity is silly.
Nail.
Head.
Hit.
You've hit the nail on the head with this one..goes back to 'delusions of grandeur'…ppl who think to highly of themselves, are the ones I don't think highly of at all!
Loved the post!
I read your post a week about the psychosis that comes with Internet and I do believe that some folk should not have access to the Internet, or at the very least, no access to social networking. It becomes all about them. There is one person in particular who has been in my Twitter stream previously and I think she should be committed. Seriously.
What matters most is who follows you in REAL life. Right? And in most cases, their real lives are substitute for the Internet life.
This plays in to my "teddy bears have their picnic" theory . Remember the song
"Beneath the trees, where nobody sees
They'll hide and seek as long as they please
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic"
I will share it with you one day lol
Just know everybody is looking for the picnic , but has no idea why they are looking for it and where it is
AHHH what a great topic. I feel like people are "nobodies" in real life and try to be a "somebody" on Twitter. Like you mentioned people have 50,000 followers and following 20. I still don't feel like celebs should not follow regular people back. If you are a celeb on a social network then network socially and build with people that you normally don't deal with on a daily basis. I also have a pet peeve with people who only talk to people they know. Hell text each other and get off of Twitter. I also hate Twitter Snobs who b**** because they say we jumped in their convo w/ someone else. Ummm if you don't want anyone to respond or RT something you are saying to someone then DM them stupid a$$.
Ok sis you started something. Let me chill out lol I may come back a lil later. I have more. : )
Nope, I’m not a twitter snob and I have unfollowed a twitter snob before. I talk a lot therefore I’ll talk to anyone and everyone. If I feel that someone isn’t talking back I’ll unfollow with the quickness.
I've noticed this with a few "popular kids" who not only don't follow back, but rarely respond to @ replies and RTs. It's very offputting and juvenile.
i am such a snob then 'cause i follow folks and if their tweets add nothing to my life i unfollow with the quickness. *shrug*
For one, if like you said, they aren't a celebrity and only follow like 20 people with thousands of followers – To them I say: "NEXT. I don't need to follow you. I'll just follow someone who will RT your stuff and will follow me back. You ain't the only one with something important to say. And if you just like to hear your own voice, well then, I am sure there is an app for that!"
And I just like to think how boring these people's Twitter Feed must be.
Lol. I often feel as though I’m talking to myself. Twitter is not one of my faves but I still try to see if it’ll generate conversation.
Just found this article. You are so right about this subject. Its true today as it was in November, as it was last summer and how it is going to be later this year. I have so many opinions on this subject that I have to verbally talk about…a HOT MESS.