Non Sequitur by Wiley Miller for April 11, 2011

Not a good reason!

Luddites of the world arise!

I’ve always envied other people who have much greater skill with language than I do. The disappointment of having thoughts that blaze and flame across my mind that, when translated onto the page, fizzle and flicker under scrutiny. …and back on track; FaceBook I understand. It is a useful and easy way to keep in touch with friends flung far and wide across the globe. Twitter I don’t get - why communicate in truncated blurts which, more often than not, come out as pointless brain farts???

@weasel_monkey

It’s not as if something longer than 140 characters can be a total masterpiece. FB is full of a lot of brainfarts, after all. ;)

@weasel_monkey

Twitter is pointless brain farts? I love it—-will pass that on to my twittering-all-the-time granddaughter. People who tweet all the time are losing their social skills with those present (and being ignored).

seems like a good reason to me!

People tweeting I don’t mind except when their driving, ‘cause then you cross into my line. I ride a motorcycle as my main form of transportation and with the proper gear I stand a reasonable chance with most incidents, but being smacked into by a car is not one I will likely survive. So to paraphrase “woodsy owl”..Give a peep and don’t tweet when you are driving.

bmwk12ltc: never mind the twitting behind the wheel… have you noticed how many new cars are coming out with big video screens in the middle of the dash, for controlling the various entertainment and comfort systems? In some new cars you have to take your eyes and one hand off the wheel and go through a series of interactive menus just to change the station on the radio. I think it’s a nefarious plot by the auto industry to boost sales by making people wreck their cars more often.

What is the difference between a Luddite and a Technophobe and can I be both?

Actually had Biz Stone, the co-founder of twitter come speak at my college. While sure, the majority of the stuff on there is completely asinine, twitter DOES provide a great resource for organizing people very quickly in real time. It’s been used to positive effects in places like Iran during their elections, and I’m sure plenty of other, less politically charged events as well. Plus, every tweet is documented at the Library of Congress, so we’re going to have an (albeit probably terrifying) extensive documentation of this generations thoughts and trends.

I am somewhere in the middle of the great wide swath between the Luddites and the technology early adopters. I have been programming mainframe computers for over 30 years for business applications but cannot understand much less get into any of the social media stuff. I have a Facebook account. I log in about once a month or so. And almost everything I have seen from Twitter has seemed asnine or pointless (or am I being redundant?). And I think Wiley’s friend, the hilarious Elayne Boosler, has nailed it calling Facebook (and all its kin) Clocksuckers!

BTW, if you missed it, check out Fox Trot from yesterday for another example of the dangerous addictive quality of these social media applications.

Good one, Wiley and some great comments. I couldn’t add a thing that isn’t already here.

I love you Wiley… and I’m not really aiming this at you specifically… <..rant..> I get that there are people that don’t like FB and Twitter. But I just don’t get why the folks that don’t like it are usually so vehemently vocal about the evils of it. Overall… FB has little affect on the non-users. If you don’t like it, don’t mess with it.

I don’t understand why the non-fb’ers can’t just back off and let the people enjoy the clocksucking if they want it. :)

For me, I don’t really get Twitter. But other than the tweeting-while-driving issue… it doesn’t affect me. So, I have no desire to poo on the tweeters parade. < …/rant… >

Mirth, it kinda sounds like the same sort of things religions get from atheists.

thanks for the link Wiley………

My grandkids foisted FB on me, but I rarely go there unless they post new pics….

as for twitter

it’s for twits ;)

To understand Twitter, Shakespeare said it best: “Brevity is the soul of wit”. Most people say in several paragraphs what could be said in a small number of words, if only a little thought is put into it. It’s same theory that makes Haiku interesting. It’s the limitations that make the form interesting.

There aren’t that many people I follow on Twitter, but the brevity makes it easy to get the gist of what they want to say quickly.

I still don’t know where kids get the money for nonstop texting/Tweeting. It certainly isn’t cheap. What a waste of money!!

I think a Technophobe is afraid of technological innovations and stays away from them. I see a Luddite as someone who is more active and violent in their opposition.

@puddleglum1066, I posted an unexpected reply to you today on yesterday’s comments.

Please do NOT sext me anyway! Thank you!

Twitter…I just don’t get it…FaceBook, I agree is a timesucker…my wife gets on there and plays those stupid games for hours on end…there are soooo many other things that could be done with the wasted time…I guess I’m a technophobe in the sense that I don’t own an I-Phone (and don’t want one, either)…shoot, most times I leave my cell phone at home ‘cause I don’t wanna be found….

Don’t see a lot of difference between FB or Twitter and commenting here at GoComics…

Oh well, To each his/her own Clocksucker.

suck one clock and you’re labeled for life.

i dont do this bleeep nor do I need a cell phone with a phone at home and one in the office and PCs in both I dont need to be more connected

to reply to Lewreader, a Luddite is an 18th century technophobe and yes you can be both but not if you read the funnies on your computer.