Return to Twitter

Back in January of this year (2021), I announced my departure from Twitter. Here’s that article: https://www.colindsmith.com/blog/2021/01/29/confession/. This means I have spent most of this year with just Gab and YouTube (and, perhaps, this blog if you consider blogs part of “social media”) as my connection to social media. I left Twitter because it has become so toxically political, both in the commentary of the users and in the way the Twitter Overlords interpret and regulate “free speech.”

So why, as the title to this blog suggests, would I go back?

I’ve thought about this decision a lot over the year, and while I’ve not really suffered for it, I’ve asked myself if I benefitted from it. Sure, Twitter can be a time-suck, but that’s more a me problem than a Twitter problem. And Twitter can be bad for one’s mental health if the people you follow regularly say things that make your blood boil. Again, though, I don’t need to follow those people, or I can use tools to block certain content if I want. While I do think each of us has a responsibility to the Golden Rule as much online as IRL, we can all choose our company and don’t have to hang out with people we don’t like to be around.

On the other hand, while I abandoned Twitter, there wasn’t exactly a large line of people I know following my lead. Many of the people I would interact with are still there, which means I haven’t interacted with them much since my departure. Also, it’s hard to show support for those hanging in there trying to spread some light and sunshine in an otherwise dubious environment when I’m not there.

It’s largely for these reasons that I’ve decided to start Tweeting again (I left Twitter, but my account is still active). Now, my return isn’t without some caveats. And here they are:

• While I’m not opposed to following and dialoguing with people who disagree with me, I’ll have much less tolerance for rudeness and disrespect. This may reduce the number of followers I have (and the number of follows I give), but I’m past caring about that.
• There may be things I say, people or organizations I follow, or Tweets I like that you don’t like, or may even find offensive (as much as I try not to be overtly offensive). You don’t have to follow me or like everything I say. That’s okay. If you’ve read my About page, you know where I’m coming from, so you shouldn’t be surprised.
• If Twitter should ever decide to block me, suspend my account, or throw me off for something I say, retweet, etc., so be it. I don’t anticipate this happening because I’m but a minnow in the internet ocean, but I’m just putting it out there that I don’t care.

If you’re on Twitter, I’ll see you there (the link to my Twitter account should be on the sidebar)!