How appropriate that I am writing this on the eve of Twitters earnings report. Twitter, a company that symbolizes everything that is right about social media. Profits, revenue growth, user expansion aside, isn't Twitter freaking great? JB at optionmillionaires.com penned a quick piece on this to start 2014.
Where else can you interact with sport icon, celebrities, television personalities, and financial pundits without invitation and with almost total impunity.
In love with Beyonce? "@beyonce you rock and I'll roll, or the other way around! IDC! Where am I after you dump JayZ? I gotta be close?"
You think Coldplay's latest album sucks? ---->>> "@coldplay ur album sounds like a half broken garbage disposal. I want my money back!"
Think the President could do better to help the middle class? "@BarackObama I'm broke, how about another 'stimulus' package? oh wait the country is broke too.. nevermind"
While you can Tweet effortlessly to anyone about anything... guess what??? People can tweet effortlessly to you as well! Imagine that?
For some this can be a double edged sword. There are times when people can disagree with you. Call out some of the things you Tweeted. Ask you why your so arrogant. Some may even have the GALL to ask you a reasonable question that you just don't want to answer. For those who don't have a thick skin, your feelings can get hurt. Boo hoo.
"But Johnny started it!"
"Yeah but Greg was a ninny first!!!"
"Can you two 5 year olds just get along? Puuuuhlease!"
The problem with twitter is, there is no Mommy to break up the discussion. If your feelings are hurt easily, you just might not be able to handle it.
"Mommy. Jeff said I was wrong, and it turns out I was wrong. But I have no back bone and I'd rather not reply, but Jeff just asked again and I keep not wanting to answer because I'm wrong, and ohhhhh I don't want to talk to Jeff anymore. I'm going to cover my ears and scream NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA until he stops!" If Jeff truly is harassing you for no reason in Twitter you could just simply block Jeff.
Twitter is all about sharing ideas, discussing, and learning. If you are on Twitter sharing your opinion about stocks, and gleefully high fiving yourself when your trade ideas go the right way, guess what? When the trade goes the other way its fair to expect a question or two. Don't call honest people asking honest questions haters.
Sharing your ideas with millions of potential people comes with the risk of having a few bad eggs follow you. You can block those eggs. If you feel you have too many haters you either need to grow thicker skin or there is an underlying reason for it that your ego won't let you see.
Of course you could just leave Twitter altogether. No one could hate you for doing that.... right?