Blogging, Facebook, and now Twitter, the SMS of the Internet. Technology continues to drive human interactions. Everyone seems to be getting in on the action – from news reporters to pastors to celebrities. Twitter use went up 43% after Oprah sent her first Tweet.
To find out more about (or to join) Twitter, click here. Click here for an article on what makes a good tweet 🙂 For a humorous look at the Twitter craze, check out this You Tube video clip.
What do you think about it all?
Can real 'community' happen over the stratosphere?
Can it happen online?
Christian blogger, Anne Jackson has some insightful thoughts on online connections. See her article here.
P.S. I started using Twitter earlier this year (2011). Follow at @MarkAConner
Mark, here is the best guide I have found that is very comprehensive in regards to Twitter.
http://bit.ly/QEY6c
Just sending or receiving the messages is just one aspect of Twitter… it is the analysis tools that makes it very interesting… check out any of the Twitter Cloud tools and you’ll see what I mean (e.g. http://bit.ly/122XHs ) The aspect of seeing what is a ‘hot topic’ world wide or in a particular region is a great research tool… great for Preachers/Pastors/Teachers seeking topical relevance.
Just my initial two bobs worth 😉
I love the way twitter forces you to think harder on making your point with less words.
It makes what you want to say stronger.
follow me on @stevefogg
tweet tweet!
Hi Mark,
The internet sure has made our world so much smaller and faster… Still, I would have to agree with Christine. Online has it’s benefits and friendships can be formed, but it’s no substitute for real community face to face. The body language can’t be seen and things can easily be misinterpretted or misunderstood online. Nothing beats real live interactions. Just my two cents worth 🙂
OOPS! I meant to say Anne Jackson, not Christine. Sorry for the mistake. Too bad you don’t have an undo button on your blog. HaHa It’s getting late 🙂
Hi Mark,
I joined facebook to ‘chat’ with my cousin in London, her idea, and I think we chat less now. We used to chat on msn in real time which was almost as good as a phone call. Thanks to my cousin I now have umpteen ‘friends’ that I ‘connect’ with on a daily basis, and I have to agree with most of the women I talk to about this topic, it’s not community, but as Anne Jackson said, it is connection. In a weird, futuristic kind of way I am keeping in touch with far more people, BUT, I have to limit my time in front of this screen as it is a major procrastination tool and it’s easy to slip into using it as the only means of communicating with some people. Twitter, well, I joined but I just don’t get it! I must be getting old!
Twittering is cool but not half as fun as Face Booking!
Twitter seems to make Email a dinosaur in the electronic world…looks like Jesus said “take the Gospel to all the Earth”, is coming true…..
Is twittering related to another word- twit? I was just wondering! There seem to be an increasing number of them- twits- around these days!
Does twittering breed twits- yet another important existential question raised by the twittering masses!
Must go- got some twits to attend to.
LOL Helen You are too funny. The thought has crossed my mind re- TWIT-ter 🙂 WHAT next!? Hey?I did check it out. One thing there does not sit right with me… The “follow me” part. Following someone sounds alot like cyber stalking to me! HMmmm… I prefere to follow Jesus and ‘twitter’ away on blogs like Mark’s 🙂
Mark, thanks for the hilarious video 🙂 I laughed so much & shared it with others on the Tree of Life 🙂
Marija
With the utmost of respect you would have to be one of the greatest online ‘hoggers’ I have ever witnessed. You seem to spend so long online I fail to work out how you have anytime for relationships outside…….also what or who is the ‘Tree of Life’??? (and please don;t mention Genesis – I know that one already!!)
Hi Mark,
I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind providing some comment on the following two topics in some future blogs:
1. The forthcoming movie ‘Angels & Demons’ by Dan Brown, the Author of the Davinci Code.
2. The massive trend towards the whole ‘Twilight’ series.
Both these things would be worthy of future online discussion.
Thanks Mark. I always enjoy reading your blog.
Allister
Yes and while your at it why not Harry Potter serioes too…
You might have to watch it (and possibly enjoy it) too… 😉
Hi Alister,
I’ve read Dan Brown’s ‘Angels and Demons’. He is a very clever fiction writer who sure knows how to write a page-turner. This is a far-fetched story, with lots of Catholic Church stuff in it, but will make a good movie, I’m sure!
Twilight – I haven’t seen the movie yet or read the book, though a few of my kids have. It is interesting to see the growing intrigue with the supernatural in our culture. I read an article in Time magazine saying that the author of the Twilight series is a very down-to-earth mother and house wife, who is also a Mormon. So there you go.
Hi Peter
I never got much into Harry Potter, though my teenagers like the story. There seems to be two very opposite responses from Christians: (1) that it promotes witchcraft and should be avoided and even preached against and (2) that it is a redemptive ‘fairy tale’ story about the battle between good and evil, darkness and light. I can see arguments either way, but would encourage caution. No doubt, they are not suitable stories for young children. However, As Christians, I think it is good to be aware of our culture and seek to engage people about spiritual things, as the opportunity arises.
Mark I like your approach in your comment above. I know there are two opposite schools of though in Christian circles about these kinds of topics (that is movies and books with supernatural reference)…..1) run away and never see the movie or read the book and 2) people that are intrigued and/or interested in them. Your post made me really think about where I stood on it all. I will admit that in the past I have had an aversion to Harry Potter because I’d read that the author used actual witchcraft incantations in her book, and the previews to the movies freak me out. But should I force my own personal choice on others as “the right thing to do”. No….I shouldn’t.
And really, if we are to take a total “let’s run away from this stuff” attitude, it’s almost like saying that the subject matter is stronger than our relationship with Christ, and even Christ himself.
I think a good rule of thumb, as you suggested, is that material such as these are not suitable for the young children, etc. But that to stay away simply for the subject matter can sort of leave a “legalistic” taste in ones mouth. As you say, it can be used to start conversations with people who don’t know Christ and keep us in touch with our culture and what drives it and where its interests lie.
Having said all that… I’ll probably always choose to be the more “conservative” of people 🙂 just because that’s me, but now I feel I have a more realistic approach to it all. Thanks for grounding me in a more balanced view on this Mark. Now I can stop feeling guilty for going to the movies that I am intrigued with 🙂
Hi Simon,
Sorry you feel that way…
Have you checked out Mark’s oxymoron thread yet?
To answer your question… Tree of Life is my online Christian website community 🙂
Have a nice day 🙂
Here’s a link to an interesting article “Do facebook (on line friendships) count?”
http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thehumancondition/archive/2009/06/15/friends-with-benefits-do-facebook-friends-provide-the-same-support-as-those-in-real-life.aspx