Can Twitter function as an intellectual forum? Many articles, including this one from Mashable.com have explored the various pros and cons of the social networking site.
For me, the inherent value of Twitter comes down to the old adage “Say what you mean and mean what you say.” A character limit strengthens our ability to express ourselves succinctly and accurately, which is a skill we’ve been groomed to have throughout our lives.
It is important to remember that people have always expressed themselves within limitations, and that these limitations have often compounded, rather than hindered, intellectual ability. There is a vast literary (not to mention social) history of short-form delivery. The haiku and the epitaph are examples of lyrical writing that can fit within the parameters of Twitter.
The New York Times reports the popularization of the #twaiku, as one literary use of the social networking site.
Society agonizes over how to convey immense meaning using limited space. Song titles, verbal introductions, and brand names are all examples of how a few words act as a kind of metonym for a whole host of ideas.
The tweet may be instantaneous, but the thought behind the tweet does not have to be instantly comprehendible. In fact, for years academics have memorized complicated philosophical theories in the form of Tweet- sized phrases:
But if Tweets are just the tip of an intellectual iceberg, how can one decipher the unsaid meaning? Sometimes it’s obvious what these ideas are by a hashtag (#collegelove, #divorce, #hamsters) or a link to a website with an article or video. And then there are tweets like this:
The truth is, there is no vast meaning in having found hair height enhancements under my living room furniture. A lot of the potential for literary meaning on Twitter has gone unfulfilled—but that potential is still there. As we move into National Poetry Month, I’m expecting to see a lot more of #poettweet.
After all, (arguably) the most poetic and meaningful words in the English language “I love you” only take up 10 (spaces are included) characters on Twitter.