Twitter bios … what they say

Who needs the findings of Generation Next from the Sunday Times to understand today’s youth when their Twitter biographies are just a push-of-a-button away …

A glimpse into the psyche of today’s youngster is there for all to see and doesn't it make for interesting reading – if you can understand it.

It’s not that I’m a stalker. I just happen to see what is being offered in the short biographies and photographs of those who choose to follow the NMMU4U Twitter handle. I do this when thanking each and every new follower for choosing to follow us.

So no, I am not a stalker but I am curious.

I am curious as to why you’d use provocative, scantily-clad photographs of yourself, tell others “SCREW YOU DUDE” or aspire to be “ambitios” (sic) and misspell half your words.

Don’t you know that the world does judge a book by its cover or, in this case, a person by their Twitter handle bio?

For the uninitiated Twitter is a short messaging system – you only get 140 characters (not words) to write – that is shared with your followers. These followers are usually those people with similar interests.

NMMU4U for example, is mainly followed by NMMU students and prospective NMMU students, but also others who have an interest in what the university is doing – hence other institutions of higher learning, media houses, research organisations and like might also choose to follow us.

Anyway, back to the biographies – the information that is provided by the person about his or herself. As shared, it’s fascinating for all sorts of reasons not least the ease with which the youth of today “put it all out there”.

Nothing, it appears, is sacred.

Misspelling is nothing, especially when sms-speak is everyday parlance … M de shy, quiet nd naughty kinda guy; enjoyin evr moment of lyf

At least the latter is happy, which is something we cannot say for SCREW YOU DUDE and the individual who’s happy for the world to know she’s bi-polar and suffering from a “severe case of OCD”.

Not surprisingly, a large number of NMMU’s followers appear to be searching for themselves (the Baby Boomers did likewise), while even more include visionary and aspirational goals in their bios. They’re either “destined for greatness” or “the one to watch”.

The comics, academics and sports lovers are there too.

Each bio, wittingly or unwittingly, offers insights into that individual and as a collective for Generation Y – a generation that happily voices its opinion at the push of a button. And there’s nothing wrong with that either … providing you think before you tweet.

And you think about the bio you compose …