I love the Internet; I really do. It's given humanity so many great things -- most of them pornographic in nature -- but, more importantly, it has given us all new reasons to never leave the house and interact with other living beings. As my dad has always said, "There's all kinds of great things on that there 'interwebs.'"
In addition to porn, the Internet has brought with it many not-so-pleasant things, namely the dawning of the age of self-importance. It started in the middle-school years with things such as Xanga.com and LiveJournal.com, and, before too long, impressionable youngsters had thrown themselves whole-heartedly into blog-rings and blogspot.com.
Now, I can understand why having a day-to-day blog is fun and interesting, and I'm guilty of having read a few of them in my day, but unless you're someone famous and REALLY important (like Pete Wentz or John Mayer, both of whom keep blogs) and your thoughts actually matter, I just can't see the use in putting your thoughts up on the 'interbox' for others to read.
After a while, blogs began to become something different: something dark, evil and more than a little bit concerning. A few of my friends who kept blogs began blogging about their everyday tasks instead of the thoughts that were precipitated by these daily drudgeries. For example, instead of saying, "while waiting in line at the grocery store, I considered why it is exactly humans feel the need to regard food as such an important part of life," he or she would simply say, "I waited in line at the grocery store today. Then I bought underwear. Then I ate a hot dog. It was mediocre. I am unhappy."
Needless to say, when Twitter came around, I was less than pleased. For those who have no idea what this service is, Twitter is a micro-blog (a blog less than 140 characters) that can be updated from cell phones or computers. Essentially, Twitter is made up of usernames sending their daily activities out to the depths of the 'interblogs' for others with far too much free time to read.
The sociological concerns behind the Twitter phenomenon are what actually concern me. Twitter seems to suggest that if you're alone and thinking without anyone else hearing your thoughts or seeing your actions, you don't exist.
Since when have humans needed to be so connected to others, even strangers who they know very little about (user circles get very weird...) that they must report what they're having for dinner or update their mood status every twenty minutes?
Here's a novel idea: Live your life as you want to and stop thinking that other people need to justify your actions or feelings to make them legitimate. I can certainly understand the need to keep friends and family up to date on your life, but if these people mean so much to you, pick up the phone (or Skype, it's FREE) and tell them about it in a more personal manner. If you feel lonely or bored without your Twitter account constantly bleeping and blooping to update you on what others are doing, go out and join a club, sit in a coffee shop and look at cute girls/guys, just do whatever it is you like to do to be proactive about meeting new people. Real people. Reading about someone else's life in no way makes your life any more interesting.
There is nothing stopping you, dear reader, from leading a life similar to those of Pete Wentz, John Mayer or (God forbid) Paris Hilton, so stop reading about their lives and go make the most of your own.
