Celeb Twitter news is not typically what we deal in here at RMM. Oh no siree, we’re above such things (or at the very least would like to think we are above such things). However, I can’t help but pass comment on the recent Stephen Fry Twitter furore in which during a low moment he considered quitting the service he had championed after reading a tweeted accusation that he was “boring”. Now, no one likes to be told their boring and mr Fry had every right to be narked about such an accusation. What I don’t get is why the pillock felt the need to Tweet such a message in the first place. Ok, well, I do in-as-much-as people can be oddly billious and hateful online (cf. YouTube video comments for endless examples) but still, the guy’s a twerp! C’mon, if you don’t like Stephen Fry’s tweets (or anybody elses for that matter) ummm….. don’t follow him? It’s not hard to click “un-follow”, afterall.
Matt Rebeiro
Matt helps our clients devise, develop and prototype ideas for social media activities, initiatives and programs.
His specialist subjects include understanding how social media has altered our traditional media consumption habits, as well as the luxury sector, retail and F&B. In addition, Matt also spends time working across the clothing, beauty, property and FMCG sectors.
Matt has been with RMM since 2007 and before that he ran a community radio station and studied Philosophy at the University of Warwick.
Matt mostly likes science fiction, skateboards and scotch eggs.
You know what, yes, he was a wally for not simply unfollowing Mr Fry. I unfollowed him months ago for exactly the same reason. I did the same with Eddie Izzard. National treasures and comedy legends these people may be, but Twitter demonstrates not just that their talent lies in a different place than a 140 charcter microblog, but also that the regular people are just more entertaining in this space. We’re doing something many celebs just can’t do; engaging over smaller things.
I’m meandering from my point; let me return to it:
Yes, @brumplum was a twat for @replying. I thought Stephen Fry’s retort was much more rude. However what was *even* worse was the way the Twitter mob reacted, victimising a man they thought had victimised someone else. And this is crazy. This isn’t what Twitter is for. There has been so much discussion of late as Trafigura, the Iran elections, Jan Muir and Ian form Holborn have been called in front of Twitter, the People’s Jury. But this jury, I think, is becoming self righteous. And though these things were bad things and it’s pretty amazing in many ways that we have found a way to join forces and voices to address society’s ills, it’s not ok to revel in it. And it’s not ok to do it just because we can, either: AA Gill is a prat but the reaction to his shooting a baboon, nobbish as it was, demonstrated an overzealous and misguided reaction from the Twitter forces.
An interesting point which leaves me wondering, is this symptomatic of the *sort(s)* of people using Twitter (and using it actively)? There is, for better or worse, a very certain sense of self importance in maintaining a Twitter feed. Not a bad thing, people afterall do have egos (anyone who’s met me would agree…) and it’s a self-belief that one’s life/thoughts/links are interesting/amusing/relevant to the conversation are what created and sustained Twitter.
However, with egos come opinions, often strong and devisive ones at that. And thus such Twittergates such as Fry vs. @brumplum, Jan Moir vs. Gateley, the Iran elections, Trafigura etc ad nauseam will always result in a lot of opinions. A lot of people heaping in their two penn’orth. A lot of conjecture, rhetoric and mis-guided titnipples who should know better.
Twitter, it appears is often nought but a teacup within which a number of storms are born, trend and then die.
I agree. And this is why we need to monitor ourselves more carefully, because as many much brighter people than me have pointed out before, the subtleties of really important social or political issues can easily be lost in 140 characters. And often people are too quick to RT, shouting ME TOO, before even reading an article and properly assessing one’s reaction to it. The crowd is certainly powerful but not always wise and perhaps we just need to learn a few lessons from recent events, take a deep breath and consider before we yell.