Twitter and Creativity

For a long time (and arguably still today), no one really knew what Twitter was for or how to use it. Is it a social networking site? Is it a utility? Is it an information network? Is it sort of all three? Sometimes it seems to depend on your perception of the platform and how you use it.

The other topic we're covering this week is Content Monsters. You've been blogging for a few weeks now. Creating content (constantly) is HARD. And you have to be plugged in to be able to curate anything. Yet, a lot of people say that they either want "to do" social media for a career or figure that it will be a part of their job description anyway, so we better figure out how to get good at creating and curating.

So for your blog this week, you can go in a variety of directions: 
Ponder: What is Twitter for? What can we do with the platform? How does it hold power to shape our realities? Or does it? We say we go to Twitter for our news. What does this say about how informed we are about our surrounding world.

Photo Courtesy of Max Pixel

Find a recent article concerning Twitter in the news. Link your article to your blog post.  (A simple Google search under the 'news' tab on Google using the search terms 'news articles about Twitter' can lead you to articles, for example). Does what this story reports on match up with your perception of what Twitter is for? Why or why not?

For example, the article I linked above talks about New Jersey's Twitter account and how it has begun to (re?)shape people's perceptions about the Garden State. The account is sassy and matter-of-fact, a "savage" and bold move for an official account for the state's government. If I hold the notion that Twitter is about making connections with people (that is, I use it to be a more informed and social citizen), this article might support my perception of the platform as a place where I can adopt a specific style and attract a following because of it.

Photo Courtesy of New York Times via @NJGov

Another option for this week is to think about what it means to be creative. What is the creative process? In class on Wednesday, we talked about how being creative on demand is difficult and creating content for a social media account isn't as easy as it seems. Reflect on any of these things in your blogs post this week.

Gif courtesy of Giphy

Don't forget: Blog posts are due by 5PM on Friday.

Gif courtesy of GIPHY Studios

Make sure you break up your text with a gif or picture. As we have read and continue to read in our tips by K+F, long blocks of text make posts more difficult to read!