Ditching Twitter

Erin Kissane on ditching Twitter:

I called it my rosary, the thing I reached for when I felt anxious, after Metafilter stopped serving that purpose. As Twitter expanded and my own little slice of it grew as well, I called it my front porch and defended its quirks and downsides. But now the magic has turned, in ways that have felt irrevocable. I’m not angry at Twitter for changing, but I’ve been sad to feel that something so oddly entwined with my intellectual and emotional life is now beyond my use.

I’ve felt very much the same lately. Friends being flammed and trolled by the worst people. Colleagues fighting colleagues in a space ill-equipped for even civilized discussion, let alone knee-jerked quipping. I don’t know what to do with Twitter anymore. Like it takes away so much more than it gives. Like the conversations are often more impersonal and inflammatory than they used to be. Like the experience is more toxic than nourishing.

I’ve recently tried just using Twitter less, not engaging as often or as deeply to see if I could somehow keep it around. But not participating feels weird too. I’m thinking I need a combination of less and some of the tactics Erin outlines in her article about curating stronger lists, or even spinning up a quieter public account. One thing is clear, something has to change.