Monday, 18 July 2011

Is Facebook and Twitter destroying the book?

Twitter was limited by the length of an SMS text message if I remember
right but Facebook chose to place limits on the length of status updates
when those limits weren't needed.

I assume they did whatever any evidence-based business does. They tested
to see how many people read long messages and how many read short ones.
It's probably a lot more complicated than that but I assume that's the
general process rather than some arbitary decision.

They reinforced the problem of people needing things to be kept short.
Rather than a full explanation they enforced brevity. The question
"what's on your mind?" is perhaps a short answer for most people but
that's ...well... I guess a lot of automotons use Facebook.

Rather than allow liberty to chose Facebook enforces an arbitary limit
and this is part of the process which sees books get shorter.

One day there will be one form of 'book' left if things keep going this
way. It will be one word long. i've already written my book of the
future. It's short and sweet.

It's called "We" but it would take a lifetime to understand.

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About Me

We It comes in part from an appreciation that no one can truly sign their own work. Everything is many influences coming together to the one moment where a work exists. The other is a begrudging acceptance that my work was never my own. There is another consciousness or non-corporeal entity that helps and harms me in everything I do. I am not I because of this force or entity. I am "we"