Just 280 characters. That’s all it takes to start a conundrum on social media these days.
Twitter has been around for 12 years, and it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. It started as a platform for celebrities to document their every move. Regular users began following the trend, making Twitter a place to let the world know that you just ate a sandwich. Many people don’t like this idea and find it to be pointless. I mean, how much do I really care that my old middle school friend just had dinner?
Since then, Twitter has transformed into something completely different. It’s a platform to express your opinion and give yourself a voice, which can be both good and bad. Celebrities such as athletes, actors, musicians and politicians all utilize it. Sometimes, posts can be controversial. Other times they’re simply humorous.
Lately, Twitter has taken over the world. The amount of times I hear “Wait, did you see that tweet?” are endless. Personally, I use Twitter for its humor. I have multiple Twitter group chats with friends, and I wake up daily with at least 10 new tweets sent to me. It’s a way to bond, laugh and create new jokes.
Being “Twitter famous” is another way that people attempt to rise to fame. You can achieve this simply by having an admirable sense of humor. Gaining fame through the use of Twitter shows just how powerful this platform can be. Some accounts, such as “Girl Posts,” decide to remain anonymous even though they dedicate a huge part of their lives to coming up with new tweets.
In addition, Twitter is a way to start conflict. It may seem ridiculous, but famous politicians, including our own president, go on Twitter to make claims. This often ends up blowing up in their faces because of the amount of debate these issues can cause. One tweet made on Nov. 11, 2017 by Donald Trump caused a lot of commotion. He stated “Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me “old,” when I would NEVER call him “short and fat?” Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend — and maybe someday that will happen!” The world was in shock that the president of the United States would imply something so childish. This came with a lot of backlash, as well as many laughs.
Another recent Twitter phenomenon of our generation was in relation to Kylie Jenner. Earlier this summer, the Twitter world collectively decided that she was pregnant, even though she had not announced this publicly. This went on for months until she revealed that she had just given birth, and Twitter went crazy to say the least. Everyone acts as if celebrities won’t see these rumors made about them, yet they really do. Only a day after Kylie Jenner’s announcement, the rumor was made that her daughter was named “Posie.”
This came with a long backstory of Posie being short for “Mariposa,” which is Spanish for “Butterfly.” Travis Scott, the father of Jenner’s child, released his song “Butterfly Effect” about nine months ago. Although this was a fairly interesting rumor, and I commend you fellow tweeters, it turns out that her baby is named nothing remotely close to “Posie.” This shows how tweets can spiral out of control, spreading rumors around the world.
Twitter can be used for just about anything. Whether you have a funny joke to tell, want to share a video or want to show the world something amazing you’ve done, Twitter can be the answer. It’s also a platform that I believe is a lot less superficial than most. With social media outlets like Instagram, it is more often than not that people are constantly hung up on the amount of followers and likes they have and receive. I don’t think I’ve looked at my Twitter follower count since I was 13, and it’s not something that is often discussed. This makes it all the more powerful. By not worrying about followers, people express what they want to be known without worrying about what others think.
Twitter has become more and more popular among social media outlets. I often find myself scrolling through my Twitter feed for hours just for a good laugh. Although it may be seen as being obsessed with social media, Twitter is a place of self reflection and continuously puts me in a better mood.
Feeling sad? Go on Twitter. Want to laugh? Go on Twitter. Want to cry? Go on Twitter. Want to feel better about yourself? Go on Twitter. The answer is simple: Twitter is taking over the world, 280 characters at a time.