I of course concede that most technology has good and bad sides. I use a cell phone, a computer; I blog and am on Facebook. I’m not a Luddite, and I try to see the good and bad in things. However, Twitter (and things like Facebook status updates) has some central features that seem to me to give it greater potential for ill use, a point that unfortunately seems proven when I look at how most people use it.

The communication of very small, quite personal, and often pretty inconsequential bits of information shades out of neutral for me. I try not to be narcissistic and to focus attention on myself in regular, everyday conversation, but Twitter seems to reward such behavior. Furthermore, I try to be substantial and consequential in my daily life, while Twitter seems geared around the insubstantial and inconsequential (with some exceptions–birth announcements or some such thing).

Again, my argument is that these problems are not incidental to Twitter, as they are with other mediums, but very nearly essential. That is, if one is using Twitter well, one will almost necessarily engage in inconsequential, narcissistic behavior. That’s the sum total of my argument.

I’m glad, however, for all kinds of people to prove me totally, undeniably wrong, to make me look dumb by their godly, substantive, consequential, others-centered use of Twitter or whatever else. I say this in all sincerity. Until then, I will continue to think of much (not all!) Twitter usage in the same vein that I think of people who in conversation constantly reference themselves, focus attention on themselves, and generally contribute little to a discussion that lasts and is substantive.

But as I said–prove me wrong.

Well said, Owen.

So, my guard is down. Much of what you say could be applied to me.

But, I would disagree with the assumptions you make about the point of twitter/facebook. Most of the sincere Christians I know, and this applies to myself as well, keep these things up for nonselfish reasons. Some of us find these reasons hard to articulate. But I’ll try.

My primary thought is that knowing a person is much more than simply knowing what we deem “important”. You act as if our conversation and disclosure ought to be limited to theological and spiritual conversation. But isn’t there value in anything else? Do we really want to start drawing lines in the sand based on subject matter to determine what’s important and what’s not?

So you know important and trivial when you see it? Are you sure? Is there not some unconcious knowledge of one another that begins to form over a long period of time based on the little things?

I’m the first to say that Twitter and Facebook aren’t ideal. But since it’s hard/impossible to keep meaningfully involved with one another’s lives in the same way the early church would have been able to, we have an opportunity here to AID our fellowship. Yes, there are dangers. So why can’t we be aware of them and embrace the opportunity?

Owen, why do write such lies? Should’ve been titles: “How to Become Unpopular in 7 medium-to-long length paragraphs.”

Just kidding. As always, I enjoyed the article. I hope things at TEDS are going well for you and your family.