Times Drivel: Twitter Users Are Narcissistic

Warning: stupid statement alert.

Andy Pemberton with the Times Online has written an article calling Twitter users narcissistic other things.  Here is what he has to say:

The clinical psychologist Oliver James has his reservations. “Twittering stems from a lack of identity. It’s a constant update of who you are, what you are, where you are. Nobody would Twitter if they had a strong sense of identity.”

“We are the most narcissistic age ever,” agrees Dr David Lewis, a cognitive neuropsychologist and director of research based at the University of Sussex. “Using Twitter suggests a level of insecurity whereby, unless people recognise you, you cease to exist. It may stave off insecurity in the short term, but it won’t cure it.”

Pemberton goes on to quote Alain de Botton, author of "Status Anxiety" and the soon-to-be-released "The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work":

“Receiving a tweet is like a friend whispering something in your ear,” says de Botton. “We all want people to whisper secret messages to us. Children like to play ‘I have a secret to tell you’. It’s great fun, but what they say is often not very important.”

“To ‘follow’ someone is to have a fantasy of who this person you’re following is, and you use it as a map reference or signpost to guide your own life because you are lost,” says James. “I would guess that the typical profile of a ‘follower’ is someone who is young and who feels marginalised, empty and pointless. They don’t have an inner life,” he says.

OK. Thanks for clearing that up.

Maybe this is true for some people.  For others, Twitter is more about being social, connecting, and even marketing.  Some of the best internet marketers I know really KNOW how to leverage the power of Twitter.

The potential marketing opportunity that stands before you once you have hundreds, or even thousands, of Twitter followers is astounding.

Maybe the real issue lies with people who don't feel like they exist unless they write articles for an enormous online news website.

Oh, and by the way, feel free to follow me on Twitter.  :-)

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