Do you Twitter? - Lab Rats

Do you Twitter?

Seema Singh - Wednesday, January 28, 2009 9:48 PM

Earlier this week after meeting someone (from the industry), I asked for his email since he had run out his business card. The person said, "I am on FaceBook, you can get me there."

I replied, "But I am not...or well, I am, but my registration is incomplete". (I keep getting mails to complete it, but I've incorrigibly failed to oblige the Facebook team.)

"Then I am also on LinkedIn, are you?"

"Err...yes, I am but I don't remember my password, and every time I get an invitation, I plan to resolve the forgotten password issue, but till date it remains just that - forgotten".

"Do you Twitter?"

I lost my patience then. What's wrong with the good old email? I think it works better than anything else? The gentleman did make me feel a bit outdated but then I had my run of social networking long before any of these websites became a rage. In 2003, I registered for Ryze and soon realized it was a waste of time.

So, when I failed in making a ‘social networking' mark this week, I remembered a famous cartoon by Peter Steiner from July 5, 1993, issue of the The New Yorker.   

 

Credit: The New Yorker

Incidentally, In its 12 September 2005 issue The New Yorker carried another cartoon by Alex Gregory in which one dog talking to another said: "I had my own blog for a while, but I decided to go back to just pointless, incessant barking."

Well, I am not giving up blogging yet, but I've indeed given up on social networking sites! As far as ‘networking' with ‘potential sources' is concerned, I think for a journalist the old-fashioned ways of connecting by phone/email/in person work pretty well. 

 

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9 Comment

From Karttikeya Manglam

January 29, 2009 1:59 PM
Madam, We somehow still miss The Romantic Realist.Your blog is the only reason now I visit this site almost everyday,even when I am in train in course of my endless tours.So please do not think of giving up blogging,particulaty your coverage of matters related to everyday science for the sake of many readers like us

From Potamus

January 29, 2009 3:17 PM
lol, that was funny Seema. I'm done with old fashioned phone/email, social networks (only some) like linkedIn ,twitter are better.

From Potamus

January 29, 2009 3:18 PM
oh and i found this blog post through Live Mint's twitter post

From Ian Hendry

January 29, 2009 3:36 PM
An interesting post, but it is a great shame to see you have given up on social networking, as I am not sure what you proved that was not to your liking/satisfaction? Social networks are a great way of broadening your contacts, IF you participate in the networks that contain people you'd want to be connected with. There are many more sites for brokering valuable contacts out there than the mainstream Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn. In much the same way that you wouldn't expect the best meal from the well-known chain restaurants, you have to dig around to find the gems! Ian Hendry CEO, WeCanDo.BIZ http://www.wecando.biz

From Seema Singh

January 29, 2009 7:07 PM
Karttikeya: Thank you; it's worth digging science if we have readers like you. Potamus: I guess it's a personal choice; or maybe a generational gap! Ian: I agree, such networks can be excellent platforms to connect, but I somehow didn't find sufficient relevant connections on these networks. Or maybe, as you said, I didn't go to the right ones :) Will keep your advice in mind!

From Karttikeya Manglam

January 29, 2009 7:39 PM
Madam!Adapting from Shakespeare must I say:Humility thy name is S.Singh

From Subah

January 30, 2009 7:57 PM
Interesting thought, Seema. But you will be surprised to find that 1 out of 5 tech saavy adults have a very similar feeling about these social networking sites - passwd's forgotten, connection requests reaching your-once-in-a-month-email-id, and mostly hits you in a long - "I don't care" gestation period.

From Jbob

February 3, 2009 8:38 PM
Are you one of those people that use email like instant messaging too?? Sending an email and expecting to get an almost immediate response?? ;) The reality is that people have had "social networks" for as long as there have been people. The sites provide: - a more fun way to remember, find, and reconnect with people you've long forgotten. - A way to get better value our of existing relationships. Who knew that one of your friends knows someone that works at a company you are trying to work for? - It great for reminding us (and providing additional excuses) to stay in touch with people. For example birthday reminders. The sites are not for everyone, however, almost everyone is there. So, why fight it?

From Seema Singh

February 3, 2009 10:46 PM
Jbob: I don't use email like IM, though I must admit I do sometimes expect responses like IM-- i.e. instant. I guess that's because of the nature of my profession. But yes, I get your point; and no, I am not fighting it!

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