Sunday, February 08, 2009

If You Twitter Are You A Twit?

Yet another mode of communication is rapidly gaining a head of steam on the internet: Twitter. Blogging buddy Robert Phoenix must have been writing a post on the topic around the same time I was drafting this. Robert's excellent assessment is here: "Is Twitter the Killer App for Jupiter in Aquarius?". I had already decided not to post my somewhat jaundiced views and scrap my draft when I came across Robert's piece yesterday. But what the heck - let's celebrate synchronicity!

I have trouble in seeing Twitter's value. When do folks have the time to Twit - or is it Twitter, or it is Tweet? They already seem to be speaking on cellphones for much of their waking lives, writing or reading blogs, or contributing to message boards, Face Booking, My Spacing, instant messaging, and/or chatting in chat rooms.

As far as I can tell, Twitter is something of a hybrid of message boards and instant messaging facilities, miniaturized to 140 character bite-size.

Much of Twitter's charm appears to be in catching "followers" or in becoming a "follower". Here lies my own initial feeling of antipathy to Twitter. I dislike the "follower" idea. It smacks of schoolyard cliques, which I avoided like the plague, and still back away from anything similar.

Let's consider who, astrologically, would be most inclined to gravitate to Twitter.

Lots of Gemini input, of course would be any astrologer's first thought on the matter. Not necessarily Gemini Sun, but Gemini (or 3rd house) somehow prominent in a natal chart would propel a person towards Twittering.

A glut of expansive Sagittarius influence could do it too - excess of communication -enough is never enough!

Prominent Leo and Aries natally, natural leaders of the zodiac, would love to gather lots of followers, so Twitter might appeal to individuals with those signs featuring strongly in their charts.

Followers might come from the soft-hearted, empathetic or diplomatic groups - those with Cancer, Libra or Pisces-heavy charts would enjoy the following aspect of Twitter, I suspect.

Although Virgo is ruled by Mercury, the communications planet, I doubt that 140 characters would be sufficient to satisfy Virgo-led personalities for long. Their search for perfection and accuracy would soon gain upper hand.

Capricorn-led folk, down to earth as they are, would be likely to see Twitter as a waste of valuable time; in some circumstances though, they might see it as a PR tool to drive people to their own websites or businesses - so could swing either way. (Don't let a Capricorn boss see you Twittering in his time though!)

What's left? Aquarius, Scorpio, Taurus - three Fixed signs. Some with these signs prominent in their charts might initially be drawn to Twitter for a variety of reasons, of course, but in general I suspect they'd be less likely to be attracted to the idea. Aquarius, though amused by its novelty, is too analytical to be satisfied by 140 characters for long. Scorpio's too intense, and likes secrecy - again, novelty might attract, but not for long. Taurus, who would rather be doing something more sensual, might use Twitter as a tool for flirtation.

As for me - I already spend enough time on-line, researching or writing my own blog posts, and reading those of a select few others. I doubt I'll be Twittering any time soon....but maybe that makes me the twit!

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Twilight,

Glad you posted this. Not every new technology has to be clutched to the breast like a long lost friend.

Jounalists looooove twitter, but I see journalism as mostly a Gemini driven profession ayaway.

Stay human. :-)

Unknown said...

Too many people seem to think we're interested in a minute by minute account of their day....just stood in the queue for a kebab.....yawn!

Almost as bad as those people on the train who speak to someone on their mobile and say "I'm on the train". And your point is?

Mind you I'd be useless on Twitter. Only 140 characters. I'm too much of a why use a sentence when a paragraph says so much more.

Just started snowing again....see my comment on your Val Kilmer post, Twilight, about Boris and the snow in London.

Off to watch some slow, calming Sunday evening telly....Antiques Roadshow (yes it's still going strong) and Lark Rise to Candleford, the Beeb's Sunday night drama. With a nice glass of Chilean bubbles.

Oh life is so exciting in Saga (for the over 50s)land!

Twilight said...

R. Phoenix ~~~ Agreed! I suspect that (jopurnalists and Geminis apart) people on the move, using Blackberries and suchlike, will use Twitter more than the old guard like me, on a desktop computer. :-)

Twilight said...

Rossa~~~ We have Antiques Roadshow here too - American version. The experts are not such interesting characters as the UK ones though. I really looked forward to seeing them each week, can't remember their names, but clearly recall their faces. I've often said that in my next life (if there is one) I want to be a Fine Arts Expert like them. :-)

TV, in general, is pretty dire here. I bought an all regions DVD player not long ago, so I could get some DVDs of British series to watch. We're currently in the middle of "Kane and Abel" a mini-series from years ago, book by Jeffrey Archer. We've done "Mistral's Daughter" already. Both wwere semi-American but not available here on DVD for US machines.

It's all beer and skittles isn't it!? ;-)

Wisewebwoman said...

I don't have time for Facebook or Twitter even tho registered on both.
I try hard not to condemn the new tech, grandgirl keeps me current, and I wonder at all this instant replay of one's lives. Can it be healthy? Is it just too narcissistic? Who's to know.
I can be such a Leo tho, leading the oul pack, so maybe I'll be involved with my twitter before I know it.
Did you read about Stephen Fry trapped in the elevator and twittering away to his followers. Fun-ny.
XO
WWW

Anonymous said...

A person that twits is called a "tweeter." I suppose that a tweeter that that tweets a lot could be called a "twatter."

:-)

Twilight said...

WWW ~~~ Yes, I see you as Madam Leader, feeding your followers lots of interesting tid-bits.
;-)

Hadn't read about Fry - Hmmm - he's just outside of Leo - bet he has some planets there though. I've just had a quick gander in Astrotheme, and he has three Virgo planets and.... Moon most likely in Leo (no time of birth available).

Twilight said...

R. Phoenix ~~ LOL! Lends itself to quite a bit of innuendo doesn't it - I'm sure there are a few natty one-liners to be had there. ;-)

Anonymous said...

Ah, just as I thought we were beginning to see eye-to-eye, you go and denounce us poor Geminis with remarks like:

"Lots of Gemini input, of course would be any astrologer's first thought on the matter. Not necessarily Gemini Sun, but Gemini (or 3rd house) somehow prominent in a natal chart would propel a person towards Twittering."

I'll have you know I wouldn't soil my keyboard with such immature and shallow behavior as "twittering".

Like Polonius, I shall "neither a Twitterer nor a Facebooker be."

Of course, I may just be an aging Gemini, too curmudgeonly to partake of such sociabilities. ;-)

anthonynorth said...

Well, as you know, I've become a Tweeter - I AM Aries :-)
Although to be fair, I don't use it to offer any day by day info on my activities. I'm placing super-short poetry and fiction. It seems to be gathering an audience - yes, I dislike the term 'follower' too.
I've even managed to have debates on religion and morality, and various other subjects there.
Any media form is what we make it.

Twilight said...

RJ ~~~ eye to eye can get pretty boring ;-)
Gemini is a natural communicator, but quality of communication varies from one person to another as much as does color of hair, height, weight etc. :-)

I'm with you on this - I don't like Face Book and My Space any more than I like Twitter . Again, it's that "Friends" thing which gets up my nose, and reminds me of schooldays.

I was quite surprised to be reminded by the husband that he has a Face Book page - and "Friends"......
Quel Horreur!! ;-)

I shall watch him closely for signs of Tweeting!

Twilight said...

AN ~~ Hi - Yes, I remember you told me that you enjoy Twitter and find it helps you to hone your writing to a fine point (140 character point). I can see this could be a useful exercise. You already manage to tell tall tales in very few paragraphs, so to miniaturize them further mould be a skill indeed.

You're right - to each his own - whatever floats one's boat has to be just right! :-)

anyjazz said...

I bet Tom Lehrer would have had something to say about this.

He he. My "word verification" below is "spangddl"

Twilight said...

anyjazz ~~~ Yes, wouldn't he!?
and Carlin too.

Spangddling is an Olde English pastime, I have you know - only the initiated are allowed into its mysteries. Benny Hill was a Grand Master.