The Twitter Obsession: Theory of Formula

Film makers have long used a type of formula in an attempt to make a successful movie. If you look at the modern day romantic comedies you can see the formula at play – boy meets girl, boy befriends girl, girl dates other guy, girl realizes her error, boy gets girl. There are also certain components to the formula that must be included for it to be successful – chemistry, another genre (sports, action, period piece), and of course a good story line. The theory of formula can also be applied to social media outlets, but in a different way.

I found it difficult to theorize about a formula for Twitter, likely because it is not as obvious as my first example. However, after researching why Twitter is successful, I began to see how it would be possible to use a formula to ensure its success. Here is the formula that I theorize could be applied:

·         Ease of use – Twitter had to be designed simply so anyone could use it with little or no training.

·         Easier to read than a blog – with the limited character count, instant online connection, notification system Twitter is easier to use over a blog.

·         Generates interest – People are always interested in what their friends are saying or doing. Twitter gives them a way to satisfy that interest quickly.

·         In tune with pop culture – let’s face it, the target audience called the always-connected generation thrives on pop culture. Twitter allows them to follow their favorite celebrity which gives them a false feeling of friendship with them. That false sense of friendship will keep people coming back to Twitter.

·         Social connection – Twitter can create a feeling of social connection to hundreds of people in many ways. One way is the Twitter friends that you gain which makes a person feel popular. Another way is connecting with other people using Twitter; it gives us something to talk about.

Looking for a formula has made me think differently about Twitter and Facebook as well. We do gain a false sense of security, almost a feeling that people do care about our lives and what we have to say. In reality, many people follow each other on Twitter simply to gain more followers themselves, which is a popularity contest of sorts. There are ways these social media outlets use their formula to bring in more users which will also bring in more earnings for them. In the end, it’s all about the bottom line for companies such as Twitter.

The Twitter Obsession: Cult of Celebrity and Rituals

The theories that best represents my topic, The Twitter Obsession, are the cult of celebrity and the theory of rituals. The current obsession with Twitter in our society both creates celebrities of a sort, as well as allowing fans a connection with their favorite celebrities. Twitter could be considered a ritual because of the regularity with which people tweet and also check other people’s tweets. Additionally tweeting would be considered a public ritual performed by an individual for the purpose of social bonding.

In looking at Twitter in relation to the cult of celebrity, people can become a Twitter celebrity by tweeting their every thought, idea, or every move which other people then become obsessed with following, so they follow that person’s account. Twitter is almost like a popularity contest in which people vey for the coveted position of having the most followers. By gaining such a high number of followers, those people become celebrities in the world of Twitter. However, there are also other celebrities who use Twitter, such as Justin Timberlake, John Mayer, and Ashton Kutcher; to give their fans what seems to be an intimate connection and look inside their person lives. This false sense of intimacy only bolsters the obsession of the fans and elevates the celebrity’s status.  Twitter also allows celebrities to extend their fame beyond their regional geography to reach a global audience, which in turn creates a larger fan base for that celebrity. This could mean more contracts, bigger movies, and more money – all for the benefit of the celebrity.

The theory of rituals would also apply to our fascination with Twitter. As stated earlier, Twitter would be an individual public ritual performed for the purpose of social bonding. The rituals are individual because it is an individual action – you tweet on your own account what your own thoughts are. The rituals are public though because the tweets are read by hundreds or millions of other Twitter followers. The ritual is for the purpose of social bonding because it’s creating a shared experience between the person posting the tweets and the “fans” who follow the people tweeting. The sharing of our everyday lives and thoughts creates a sense of connection to the other people in the Twitter community, however real or false that connection might be. Twitter could also be considered a ritual because it has become so ingrained in many people’s lives. There are people who cannot start their day without the ritual of saying good morning to all of their Twitter followers, or someone who have to tweet obsessively at certain points throughout the day.

The most interesting things that I have learned about my topic of The Twitter Obsession is how crazy our culture is for social bonding experiences such as Twitter or Facebook. Even the word Tweet has made its way into online dictionaries. I think it has been interesting learning how our culture has turned away from a face-to-face communication culture to an online, texting, tweeting culture. Sadly, it is more common to receive a text than a phone call these days. It seems as if our society uses Twitter and other social media as a way to connect with others, without ever really having to connect.

I really do not think of Twitter differently after my analysis. I do not tweet, but have many friends who are faithful Twitter followers. To me, I just don’t see the sense in using Twitter to tell people things about myself or my thoughts. I already use Facebook, which is enough social media for me. I know Twitter can be a useful media outlet, such as stores tweeting about special sales, or companies tweeting about needing to hire for a specific position. Personally, I do not need another reason to disconnect further from the intimate, personal connections that are made during face-to-face interactions.

The Twitter Obsession: The Cult of Celebrity

In this day and age, almost anyone can become a celebrity. While they might only be a celebrity for only a day, or a week, or a month – our culture seems obsessed with other people’s lives. Take Octomom for example. She’s such a celebrity that my spell check didn’t even underline the word as a spelling error. The question is why is she a celebrity? Because she has too many children that she, sadly, cannot care for alone? Was it because she gave birth to 8 children at once through faulty judgment and a desire to be famous? She is a celebrity because our culture made her a celebrity. We became obsessed with watching the train wreck of her life unfold before our eyes. 

This then begs the question, how do people become celebrities? In relation to Twitter, people become a celebrity after a certain amount of people become obsessed with following their tweets, thus elevating them to celebrity status on Twitter. There is a need in our culture, for some reason, to inform people of our every move, thought, idea, and event. People are tweeting about what they ate for breakfast, and shockingly people actually find this information interesting.

Celebrities tweet their “intimate” thoughts for the entire world to see in hopes of gaining a larger fan base. The notion that their tweets are actually their intimate thoughts is actually funny considering there are thousands of people reading them. Additionally, by using Twitter celebrities are able to extend their fame beyond their regional geography to reach a global audience. For an actor this could translate to a larger viewing audience for their films, which also translates into larger royalties from the films. For an athlete this could translate into global sponsorship or advertising campaign deals, which also translates to increased profits.

In our celebrity obsessed culture, Twitter gives fans a seemingly intimate connection with celebrities. This false sense of intimacy only bolsters the obsession of the fans and elevates the celebrity’s status. In the same way that our culture gobbles up the information in the tabloid magazines, we also gobble up the information shared by celebrities on Twitter allowing celebrities to gain new levels of status.

The Twitter Obsession: Twitter as a Ritual

The Twitter Obsession: Twitter as a Ritual

The theory of rituals would apply to the current fascination and obsession with Twitter. I would categorize the use of Twitter as a public ritual performed by an individual for the purpose of social bonding.  Twitter is simply a place to post very short comments, thoughts, ideas, and generally anything that comes to mind at any time of the day, called tweets. With Twitter, you can sign on to “follow” other people and view their tweets.

The theory of ritual describes our obsession with Twitter because so many people have formed a strong habit, or daily ritual, of tweeting and checking other people’s tweets. The ritual comes into play when tweeting has become such habit that a person tweets at specific times of the day, every day. For example a person who would be considered to have a ritual with tweeting would not be able to get ready for the day without tweeting, might have to tweet before breakfast, upon arrival to work, during lunch, afternoon break, and so forth. They would be tweeting at specific intervals and these tweets could even interfere with their daily job, family life, social life, and other areas. A simple search of “Obsession with Twitter” turns up hundreds of blogs and articles of people who are admittedly obsessed with Twitter.

I think that considering tweeting and following other tweets as a ritual brings more understanding to people being obsessed with Twitter. According to Elizabeth Hartney on About.com, “people with addictions tend to develop rituals in the ways that they carry out addictive behaviors. Rituals are an important part of the addictive process, since addicts may expend as much energy in the rituals of addictions as the behavior itself” (2010). Since I am exploring the topic of twitter as an obsession, which is also considered an addiction, the discussion of tweeting as a ritual is very valid.

References

Hartney, E. (2010, Aug. 6). What is a Ritual?. Retrieved November 26, 2011, from: http://addictions.about.com/od/sexaddiction/g/defritual.htm.

Sibberson, F. (2011). Addicted to Twitter: How did it happen?. Retrieved November 26, 2011, from: https://www.choiceliteracy.com/public/870.cfm.

The Influence of Contemporary Icons

Three contemporary icons that have been relevant to my life are the television show Friends, Starbucks coffee, and Walt Disney. I choose these three icons because they have had some sort of impact on a great majority of American’s lives in one way or another. Friends was the number one television show for ten years. The show so heavily influenced popular culture in the late nineties that there was actually a haircut called “The Rachel”. Starbucks coffee started the coffee shop revolution that our country experienced as well as making coffee so important to so many people that it can influence the hotel someone chooses to stay at. As for Walt Disney, who among us has not been touched by something he created from Mickey Mouse to Peter Pan to Snow White to Mickey Mouse Club to Walt Disney World? I would be hard pressed to find someone who has not been influenced in some manner by something Disney created.

“Friends” was the hit television show of my high school and early college years. My friends knew when the show was on that I would not answer the phone. Watching the friendship of the characters on the show, I learned so much about what friendship really means. Rachel and Monica were people we looked up to, wanted to be like, even wanted to look like. I had friends who would ask their hairstylist to give them The Rachel – meaning they wanted the exact haircut that Rachel had at the time. “Friends” was one of the number one television shows for ten years, I grew up with them. When I was in my early twenties I could relate to so many of the scenarios the characters were experiencing such as romance and dating problems, searching for a career, and generally trying to find my way during that hard time between teenager and adult.

Starbucks coffee cups are recognized globally as the pinnacle of the coffee experience. I have always been a drinker of coffee, but it was not until I was at my first Starbucks coffee shop that I had the coffee experience. There was something about going up to the counter and ordering a grande skinny vanilla latte no whip. It was a culture with a language all its own and I was fitting into it. This was more than just ordering a great cup of coffee, it was understanding and living what was at the time, a sub-culture in American society. When I would see someone else with the Starbucks cup I would feel some connection with that person, no matter if I knew them or they even looked my way. Starbucks got me hooked on what is still one of my, and many, many of my friends’, top obsession – coffee. My day is now incomplete without one. My mornings just don’t feel right if I don’t have one. Starbucks has changed my life, introduced me to another culture, given me a place to study and feel a part of something. It’s bigger than coffee, it’s a way of life.

            Walt Disney has touched the lives of possibly any other person in American culture. When I think of all the various things Disney has created by either his own hands or his own ideas – Walt Disney World, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, Snow White, Dumbo, The Mousketeers from Mickey Mouse Club – there has been something Disney in popular culture from the time my parents were young until my own young child watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in the mornings. Watching a Disney movie still touches me, they are still among my favorite movies. They are a tradition passed down through generations. I will always remember the excitement I felt as I watched “Mary Poppins” with my 4 year old daughter for the first time. Seeing the excitement in her face, discovering another thing we both love and could share, watching her eyes light up when she heard Julie Andrews begin singing. Disney gives us all a timeless story that teaches us about love, right and wrong, kindness, family, and also brings us many laughs.

References

[Photo of “Friends”]. Retrieved November 17, 2011, from: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108778/mediaindex.

[Photo of Starbucks coffee cup]. Retrieved November 17, 2011, from: http://www.diet-blog.com.

[Photo of Walt Disney]. Retrieved November 17, 2011, from: http://waltdisneyworldflorida.net/

Assignment 1-2

Popular culture, as defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary (2011), is “the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group; also the characteristic features of everyday existence shared by a people in a place or time”. Popular culture can describe those elements in our lives which are the current trends, things that will change frequently such as the top television show American Idol, or the number one performing artist Lady Gaga. Popular culture is unlike high culture or folk culture in that it is not specific to an economic class, educational background, or specific social status. Popular culture is available to anyone and affects everyone.

If popular culture encompasses such a broad spectrum of things that affect us daily, then the workplace is also affected by popular culture. If you think in terms of technology and popular culture, things such as the i-Phone, i-Pad, emails, BlackBerry phones, and MP3 players will spring to mind. These are all items that are used in many offices across the globe, but also symbols of popular culture. They have revolutionized how we communicate, when we communicate; thus also how we work. It is perfectly normal to be a local coffee shop, likely a Starbucks, and observe someone using their BlackBerry as their portable office while also enjoying their morning coffee in their sweats, or a group of students using a few tables as their personal study room with their laptops and books spread everywhere.

In my own life, popular culture is also invading the workplace in the terms of technology that we are beginning to use. The i-Phone is on the rise as the preferred cell phone that is offered at work as is the recently released BlackBerry Torch. These phones have allowed our employees to have a virtual office at their fingertips any time of day or night. They have given our field technicians the ability to send us information while working at one of our sites in the middle of the Arizona desert. The importance of technology is just one way that popular culture has invaded my work place. My employer, First Solar, is a company that could be considered a part of popular culture. The current trends and movements toward green energies has given rise to an entirely new business landscape, one of which is solar panels. My company is a product of that movement, so without the popular culture pushing green energy to the masses, I would not be so gainfully employed in such an interesting and amazing field. In our field, we have to stay on top of current and upcoming trends in energy and construction in order to continue to stay relevant to our customers.

When considering an example of a popular culture artifact, several things sprang to mind such as the Atari game console, anything Michael Jackson, MTV, and many other things. One item I choose as an example of popular culture is this image of the Rolling Stones first album released in the U.S. called “England’s Newest Hit Makers”. I choose this album cover because it represents the beginning of a career for one of the most influential musical groups of all time. At the time of release in 1964 the civil rights movement was well under way, and then this album comes out which is a white English band singing R&B style rock music. With rock music still in its infancy and being defined, this showcased Rolling Stones as one of the leaders in rock music. I personally think of The Rolling Stones as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, rock bands of all time, which is another reason I choose this as my artifact.

References

Keno Internet Services. (2011). Album Ratings: England’s Newest Hit Makers. Retrieved November 12, 2011 from: http://www.keno.org/rolling_stones.htm.

Petracca, M., & Sorapure, M. (2009). Common Culture, Reading and Writing About American Popular Culture, sixth edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Popular Culture (2011). In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Retrieved November 12, 2011 from: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culture.

Wright, N. (Photographer). (1964). The Rolling Stones England’s Newest Hitmakers [Photograph]. Retrieved November 12, 2011 from: http://www.rollingstones.com/album/englands-newest-hitmakers.