Do you use Twitter to boost your ego? Really, honestly?
Our social media are a brilliant reflection of our culture. Meaning? They’re shaped by our cultural obsession with fame and the need to be liked or loved by others. ‘Hot or Not’, Facebook ‘friends’, ecademy contacts, newsletter subscribers, Twitter followers – they’re all about using popularity to feel good.
Do you use these things to feel good? Honestly? And would you admit if you did?
I ask the question because every now and then I notice myself getting sucked into caring about having subscribers or followers in this immaterial, time-devouring online world. I notice how easily (if I’m not careful) I can find myself judging my success on the number of hits on my site.
These media are seductive because they play to the ego – the ‘mind-made’ sense of self (as Eckhart Tolle calls it) that is permanently incomplete and which permanently needs filling up with more, new, different.
I know that if your ego is using social media to boost your sense of self, it will also defend it savagely.
(Stands back waiting for the ‘Oh, lighten up, it’s just about connecting with friends….’ line)
I have not ever used twitter and after seeing it on the Oprah Winfrey show and then reading a few twitterer’s bio i realized what a boost it must be for people to see how many others are *following* them. I had a quick laugh to myself and decided to type in twitter ego boost on google search. I saw this post
I had and have the same feelings. If I find a use for it then I will check it out. Until then I am content with out it. My compliments on the Eckhart Tolle reference. Still listening to his audio book of New Earth. Brilliant!
Thanks for the comment, Christopher.
Wish I could get the audio version of A New Earth (it seems to be unavailable in the UK for some strange reason?!?)
I’ve watched all kinds of people turn into ‘follower’ addicts