2438 Communication Breakdown

As I reflect on the many ways we have to communicate these days I can't help but wonder if it's actually progress.

Take tweeting and texting.  I guess I understand texting.  Many times phone service is sketchy and you have no choice if you want a message to get through without dropouts or garble.  Many is the miscommunication and subsequent crisis that has come from a broken up cellphone conversation.

It's like cellphones are the 60s come back to haunt us.  "Turn on. Tune in. Drop out."  And that drop out thing is just plain crazy, dude.

But texting has its own problems.  Among them that people are generally poor writers and can't get their ideas across without, if not miscommunicating, badly communicating.  Although certain text shorthand thingies, like using the two letters u-r- to refer to both y-o-u-'-r-e- and y-o-u-r- are quite good at side-stepping the whole grammar and usage issue.

Twitter is even worse, as it adds a certain narcissism to the whole process.  All my followers want to hear about me and my thoughts.  In badly written English.  And a terse snarky undertone. 

Not to mention Twitter bullying, the only recently banned Twitter revenge porn, Twitter hoaxes and associated Twerrible Twaits of humanity enhanced by the Twitterverse. 

Good news though, Twitter can now show your exact location when you post something.  It's supposed to be only for those you allow, but if it's there, you know there's someone to hack it -- advertiser or government spy organization.  This is going to play hell with the Twitter revolutionaries who've twitted up protest flashmobs and exposed stories from overseas oppressors. 

Thanks Twitter. For letting my Twitter big brother know exactly where I am.  And for taking the next step in modern communication: Twitter surveillance. 

Ah progress...

America, ya gotta love it.