In which I turn a list about Twitter into a shameless plug

Twitter [source: Luc Latulippe]

There are lots of naysayers who like to poo-poo Twitter, saying that it’s a waste of time and that those who engage in tweeting are various types of losers who don’t have anything worthwhile to do, or they don’t have any friends in real life, and etc.. Perhaps they’re just unaware of how such arguments are amusingly voided by the mere fact that people like Roger Ebert, Phil Plait (Bad Astronomy) and even Adam Savage (MythBusters) have totally fallen in love with the micro-blogging system, even if they might hardly have expected to at first.

Really, the features and advantages of becoming a tweeter (or tweep, or twitterer, or twit, or whatever the hell you choose to call a Twitter user) are obvious to anyone who follows the goings-on of the online community and they fully speak for themselves. (You’re reading this from someone who used to think it would be a symbol of patheticness yet who now garners a large chunk of his blogging fodder from other interesting tweeps, for one thing.) But just in case you weren’t sold yet, here’s a nice little list showing just why becoming a tweep and following other users can be very worthwhile indeed. And I can assure you, being an avid tweep myself, that other tweeters most certainly do:

1. They love to read and share – Tweeps read and share a lot. I know when I see something useful, I write about it and tweet about it. Who knows, that piece of information might be very useful to others!

2. They constantly look out for people – When someone has not been tweeting as much as they usually do, you will see people asking about that particular person, whether via the stream or DM, to try to make sure that person is alright.

3. They make their opinions known – We all have a mind that thinks on our own, and we all have our views on certain matters that interest us. If it is a service that makes claims beyond what it can deliver, you will see people tweeting about it. I believe that it is a positive trait, to be able to get out of our shells and speak out.

4. They share a love for beauty, inspiration and laughter – Twitter is a great big world where artists, designers, poets, writers, bankers, comics, engineers, scientists, etc… come together and share. It is a platform where, in one tweet, you can get a vast amount of information and inspiration.

5. They are giving – I am so lucky and grateful that I have followed and have become close with the most giving and unselfish people from all over the world. I do not think I would have had the chance to meet these amazing people if not for my involvement on Twitter. They are people who share my links, they are people who give recommendations, and they are people who share words of encouragement when you need it most.

I think that covers pretty much all of it. Really, what better an endorsement is there? If you want to be part of a community (depending on your popularity as a tweep – for example, with “only” 227 followers, I’m still quite low on the hierarchy) that will most likely embrace you and a veritable hub of information that flows through at countless miles per hour (depending on who you follow and how engaged you are), then Twitter is the thing for you.

(Psst – following me yet?)

Today’s shameless comment-turned-advertisement is brought to you by residual grogginess. Mm-hmm, grogginess. You can taste the lingering sleep. Available in your local bedroom.

(via @ebertchicago)

Tags: Twitter • Internet • social networking • microblogging