Query:
And this is in all sincerity. I left the bird site in 2018, and never used it much before that.
What is the value of a “follow”? Why is the # of followers so important?
I understand if you’re doing marketing, or selling stuff. But why for normal people?
It doesn’t make sense to me.
When I walk into a bookstore, I pay zero attention to the best seller shelf. I ignore the loud flashy covers. Yes I enjoy discovery. But I do that by reading, or asking staff.
@corlin Bookshops are intensely moderated spaces that require a certain amount of clout / connection to even get on the shelf. Twitter replaces that human gatekeeping with mechanical popularity; the more people who follow you, the greater chance your ideas have to spread, and that's enough goal for many.
@thudfactor
Ok I get the mechanics.
I don’t get the psychology.
Why is it so important that an immense audience hear my opinions?
@corlin oh, thanks! Will take a look.
@corlin Oh, that! Yeah, can't answer that one. Maybe that's a Marshal McLuhan question? Or Douglas Rushkoff?