You Need A Prescription for Twitter?

In a conversation last night, it was proposed that soon there will be pills available for those suffering from the symptoms of what could be called anything as long as you preface it with 'tw' and turn it into Twitterese. So, give it a name... in the example above it would be Tweetard Capsules.

Do you feel anxious on twitter?

Waiting for your next tweet?

Watching the tweets fly by and feel you can't keep up?

Biting your nails waiting for that special @response from that certain someone?

You might need this prescription.

Today I read an article, "Twitter and Facebook cannot change the real world, says Malcolm Gladwell" and couldn't agree with it more.

These tools that feign authentic and real relationships only spread that false sense of belonging. Everyone wants to belong to something. These social mediums allow for that connection. Taking it away from them or to negate them in any way and you'll see them come out in droves with defensive speak until they can again stick their chests out and show off a few feathers

Last week got a pass for the screening of The Social Network. They took away our phones. We placed them in a brown paper bag, they gave us a ticket and wrote our initials on the bag. After that, placed them on a table. Now it's one thing to give up twitter for a day or weekend, I've got that down, but to relieve me of my phone? That's kinda personal ;) It was interesting to see the responses from people who were without phone. It was easy to join in on the shenigans and laughter that ensued.

We are also afraid to be without our precious tools in which to engage with. Yet, saying hello and smiling at a stranger is a tall order these days?!

Recently I was reminded of a time where I would just want to go out into the streets with fistfuls of coins and plug people's meters, just to be sure they wouldn't get a ticket in the next 30 or so minutes. It's hard to plug any one's meters on social networks, the magic that inspires change isn't attached to it.

There's a component missing to the social networks. Yes, they make for a more efficient means to gather support, get a message heard but the missing piece is the level of conversion in the Social Space. It's not difficult to press a button that sends that information to your social crew or copy and paste an 'approved' message. It's the magic that happens when a person who truly cares spreads that message.

Martin Luther King had a message and a million people showed up. They showed up because of a belief. A deeply rooted belief that made them stand up and show up, they were million person certain. Those roads are never the easy ones. Someone once told me when making a big decision, "Figure out which one scares you the most and go with that one." It challenges you to your core and proves to be quite liberating to begin living out of love and no longer fear.

Make a committment to your self, say, "Self, we're going to be a better person today" then shake on it. It's already a better day, innit?

*Image ganked from here