A “crutch” enables someone to complete a task that they would not have been able to do without the crutch.
Twitter gives you the opportunity to relay information in a quick and concise manner. Twitter users expect to see short and easy-to-read statements that provoke your mind or hit your funny bone. Whether in person or on the Internet, time is of the essence. The column “140 characters are a crutch for users” suggests a fear you are not able to express yourself in 140 characters.
If this is the case, I would suggest getting a blog. Twitter is a microblog by definition: a place for you to share your thoughts in 140 characters or less. It is a great exercise to learn to utilize words powerfully and cut out the jargon that there is simply not enough room for.
As an avid Twitter user, I have met people and formed lasting relationships from this social supplement that I would have never met otherwise. Twitter removes the Facebook “request” function and allows people interact with others based on common interests.
If you are using Twitter as a public stage for approval, which we all do at times, you may be taking your Internet image too seriously.
Twitter is fun! Let’s keep it simple: 140 characters or less.
Katherine Marshall
senior - art history
