I’m fairly willing to try new technologies. But I’m not exactly what marketers call an “early adopter” since I like to see a trend prove its worth before jumping on board.
This was the case with Twitter.
Even though it seems that everyone and their grandma is now using the service, surprisingly few actually know what it does. Basically, Twitter is a micro-blogging tool that let’s you broadcast real-time snippets of text, called “tweets.”
These tweets can be anything: what you’re having for lunch. A link to an interesting article. Your current mood.
If it sounds like plenty of (mostly) irrelevant information, then you’re right. Our world is already clogged with incessant chatter from blogs, Myspace pages, websites, forums, etc.
I was hesitant to jump on the bandwagon because I felt it was just another online presence to maintain, and I scarcely have time to devote on projects that matter.
Eventually, I gave in. And no, not because David Bowie has an account.
I finally realized that Twitter doesn’t suck time. It saves time.
Consider that this blog post allows me to ruminate on why I joined Twitter in an expanded format. It took me approximately 45 minutes to craft and publish.
Alternately, I could have just posted a line on Twitter that would instantly broadcast a similar, though brief, message to my followers.
Approximate time spent: 6 seconds.
Of course, there are many other benefits of Twitter. The immediacy of crowd sourcing. The value of ambient awareness. The lexicon of Twitter-spawned phrases like “Twits” and “Tweeps.”
But if you’re someone who has a need to share online, but lacks the time or focus to develop a lengthy blog, Twitter is your tool.
Hurry up and join already.
Ian MacKenzie is a filmmaker based in Vancouver, BC. He shoots video journalism, documentary films, and original webseries, with a focus on "new paradigm" thinkers, artists, and activists. 
