A little over two years after a newspaper article introduced me to the social-networking phenomenon known as Twitter, I'm reminded that my initial reaction had been to be somewhat underwhelmed - dismissing it as a platform for interesting people to let interested people know what they were doing whist, at the same time, encouraging the slightly less interesting to do the same for the uninterested. So, since there are more of the latter that the former, it didn't take long for me to become tired of trawling though reams of trivial drivel from those who imagined that others might be interested in the minutiae (including photographs) of their often boring lives.
After a while - and I can't recall what re-ignited my interest - I became an occasional contributor again; although, in contrast to most others, I decided to restrict those I 'followed' or by whom I was 'followed' to those with whom I had a genuine connection. It's entirely beyond my understanding, by the way, why there seems to be an obsession with acquiring a large number of usually anonymous followers.
Eventually, perhaps because of my 'selection process', I became more comfortable with Twitter than had been the case earlier - and I've enjoyed developing some quite rewarding on-line relationships - many of which I might not have experienced in real life - certainly, not with those with views somewhat at odds with my own.
Sadly, however, few good things last for ever and I'm becoming disenchanted by more of the aforementioned trivial drivel. Paradoxically, perhaps, I understand more than most that the daily routine of those who might be classed as 'celebs' is interesting to some and it's no surprise that the likes of Stephen Fry, for example, have such an enormous following on Twitter. I can also see the sense in those from the arts - writers and musicians, for example - promoting their work through the medium.
However, what I find less easy to understand (and accept) is why a variety of Toms, Dicks, and Harriettes seem compelled to report every detail of their own mundane experiences. Accordingly, rather than enduring an environment which seems to irritate me, it might make more sense to reduce the amount of time I spend on Twitter - and, on the basis of my recently expressed sentiments, I don't expect to be missed.
