Something I’ve been thinking about Twitter: for those of us who are word people, this was once our place. “Words with Friends” as @kathrynschulz once put it.

TikTok may be exciting and engaging, but it’s not about words.

[12:55] The anxiety that word-people feel about the end of Twitter isn’t just about Twitter (tho it is that too!) — it’s also about our declining relevance on an internet that has turned largely visual with a side-helping of audio.

[12:58] The prominence of text on the internet was basically due to bandwidth limitations. Radio and TV were easily more popular than newspapers and magazines. Text has probably never had such wide readership as it did over the last 20 years. But … we’re regressing to the norm (probs?)

[13:00] But text is agile and light. It can go anywhere, costs almost nothing to produce, and is glorious to create on its own terms.

We will have smaller audiences, smaller platforms, less virality. But the Words with Friends part? That could be better than ever freed from Scale.

[13:05] The practical advice that derives from this realization is simple: let’s go crazy. Go on other platforms. Tweet like Teju Cole used to. Create a discord for you and old friends. Build an internet protocol like @robinsloan.

It’s not like we were getting paid to make stuff here?

(Click photos to view full-size)

Something I’ve been thinking about Twitter: for those of us who are word people, this was once our place. “Words with Friends” as @kathrynschulz once put it. TikTok may be exciting and engaging, but it’s not about words. [12:55] The anxiety that word-people feel about the end of Twitter isn’t just about Twitter (tho it is that too!) — it’s also about our declining relevance on an internet that has turned largely visual with a side-helping of audio. [12:58] The prominence of text on the internet was basically due to bandwidth limitations. Radio and TV were easily more popular than

1588034513451376640_1_FgnUgC6UUAI-PiS.jpg Nov. 3, 2022, 12:54 p.m. Close

[13:08] Also, if you’re word person, that’s ok. You don’t have to make dance videos or start a podcast or become an influencer.

Make a zine. Build a miniature marigold museum.

Like, since when did word people abide by arbitrary character counts and corporate whims?

[13:17] I mean, shit, word-people spend thousands of hours on books that they know—despite their fever dreams—will be read by 100s, maybe 1000s, of people.

I've done it. Maybe you've done it.

We'll do it again. Of course.

[13:23] Because writing is special. Scholar of Mesoamerican art, Diana Magaloni, described the Mexica view like this:

"The unfolding of words is believed to be the unfolding of flowers."

And the flowers?

"The flowers are the crystallized energy of the sun.”

(Click photos to view full-size)

Something I’ve been thinking about Twitter: for those of us who are word people, this was once our place. “Words with Friends” as @kathrynschulz once put it. TikTok may be exciting and engaging, but it’s not about words. [12:55] The anxiety that word-people feel about the end of Twitter isn’t just about Twitter (tho it is that too!) — it’s also about our declining relevance on an internet that has turned largely visual with a side-helping of audio. [12:58] The prominence of text on the internet was basically due to bandwidth limitations. Radio and TV were easily more popular than

1588039220756566016_1_FgnYzSPVEAAdevC.jpg Nov. 3, 2022, 12:54 p.m. Close

[13:25] Diana Magaloni's talk on the Florentine Codex is my soundcloud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kG_1e42oplY