Twitter is a narcissism machine!

One of the first questions people ask about Twitter is “Why?” Why would I want to use it? There are a number of standard answers to that question. To meet others, to learn from others, to observe, to participate in conversations. Twitter co-founder Biz Stone has described Twitter as being, “like a flock of birds choreographed in flight.”

Typically, the “why” is boiled down to the meaning behind each single tweet or status update.

My favorite example: “Do I really need to know what others are having for dinner?”

I’m suggesting that we take the “why” question even further and reflect on our internal need to have followers, friends, contacts, fans and the attention that social media provides in general.  Roll with me for a minute. What if each tweet was really a deeper representation of your psyche? What if by communicating out into the Twitterverse you were demonstrating personal insecurities? The recent “flock” of novice celebrities such as Oprah to the Twitterverse I think speaks volumes, the reality is, we’re a “narcissistic society.”

Either you want a million followers to feed your insane ego or you want a million followers to broadcast large chunky, slimy tweets of spam, it simply cannot be about building meaningful relationships.

I started researching this stance to see if this were true.  In fact, I now believe Twitter to be a real-time narcissism machine that just went mainstream.  I’m stating this despite the fact that I’m a willing participant in the community.  More than that, I’ve been building this social media business in part based on that participation.

With each tweet are we not saying, “look at me, think of me, respond to me, FOLLOW ME?”

When you get new followers or someone commenting, re-tweeting your brilliance doesn’t that make you feel just a little bit better somehow?  Almost like you’re being heard.  I think it does, and so I asked myself, does this mean I’m a raving, screaming narcissist? Some would say absolutely!  Hopefully those in the local Edmonton Twitter community who have come to know me a bit better would say something different.  As for myself, I know I have an ego, as to just how far that goes I’m unsure, I haven’t tested those limits yet.  We all have egos, it’s in our DNA, and I think that most would agree that appreciation from peers generates a pleasant feeling of some sort.

Further, this whole discussion goes to the heart of my dislike for the use of the word “guru.”  “Look at me I’m a guru, listen to me I’m a guru, follow-me because I’m a self-proclaimed Twitter guru.”  I believe the word “guru” screams insecurity.  I guess I do know the limit of my narcissism and it’s well before the use of that word.

Next time you go to send out a tweet, witness the effect the engagement has on your psyche and emotions.  Nothing at all, a pleasant smile because someone is listening or the feeding of an insane desire to be like Ashton Kutcher.

Kutcher explains his competition with CNN was not about his “insatiable ego but the democratization of media.”  Anyone else agree that’s a large steaming pile of dog #$%^?

Don’t think that Twitter is a perpetual narcissism-machine?  See if you can stop using it.  Go cold-turkey and NEVER TWEET AGAIN.  I bet you can’t, you see just like me, you like the tweet of your own voice to some degree and far more importantly the relationships built with it.

By the way, would you like an example of the opposite of a narcissist?  I give you the owner of the Edmonton Oilers, Daryl Katz.  Billions of reasons to be in your face and instead he simply and quietly goes about his business and only speaks when absolutely necessary.

All organizations should apply these thoughts to brand impact and potential brand erosion, employee relations, effect on internal processes and efficiencies.  Think I’m out to lunch?  Want an example of how this social media “ego-effect” and the lure of potential web-stardom played havoc with a major brand recently?  Observe the “dominos effect.” play out as we speak and consider if your organization is prepared for the impact of even one employee’s ego gone astray.

Written by Walter Schwabe