The Whole Twitter Thing
So I like to think I’m generally up on all the new-fangled things. Take Twitter for example. I’ve had an account for awhile now. I even had followers. But I’ve just started using it. I’ve yet to figure out what I’ll really use it for. I’m thinking of using it to send academic floaters into the internet ether. And I’ll alert followers to bicycle issues as they arise.
In other Rhetorica updates: I mentioned in the previous post that I’m working on an essay about the rhetorical tactics of pundits and talking heads who have been blaming sub-prime borrowers for the mortgage crisis. The Rick Santelli “rant” has really focused this for me.
I’m fascinated by two things:
1. A possible shift in what’s an acceptable use of the label “loser.”
2. What role does television and the internet play in making the Santelli text possible, i.e. bring it attention and persuasive power it might not otherwise have had? He is certainly not the only or first one to make such claims about “losers.” Yet today Santelli is (rhetorically constructed as) a “rockstar.” What role does kairos play in this?
My deadline is next week. I’ll post more details when I send it in.
I twittered about this. Of what value that is I have no idea. Random ideas as entertainment? We’ll see.
Now what Wife Rhetorica is doing with Twitter is much more interesting. She’s using it as way to scan for source information, and exchange information, for her freelance business writing about the business of health care.
Is there a reason you don’t link to your twitter account? Is this it?
Haha! No, it’s http://twitter.com/arcline
I’ll post the link soon.
You should talk with my son about twitter. he is the multimedia editor for the Oklahoman and he has been mixing Twitter with live video reports during bad weather (ice storm and recent tornado) by sending his camera crew out and the Web reporters Twitter with viewers on areas of town that are being hit or of concern to them and the crew ambles over with the camera mounted on the dashboard. His twitter account is @mkokc. He’s way past me on that stuff but I’m an old man….
Steve… That’s cool. I’ll look into it.