Twitter has got a bad reputation.
It is called toxic. It is called unfriendly. It is arguably one of the most-hated social networking sites that people surprisingly cannot get enough of.
I have a different take on Twitter though.
How Twitter acts actually depends on whom you follow.
If you follow toxic people, then yes, Twitter will be toxic for you. No question about that. If you follow the right people – people whom you can learn from, people who have the most thought-provoking things to say – then Twitter is the right place to be!
It is all about making the right choice. You cannot expect to follow a bunch of pessimists, hate mongers, crass talkers and expect any place (offline or online) to be a lively, positive place to be in.
If someone you follow is spewing hate, unfollow them. Or better still – block them.
If someone you follow is liking posts that are spewing hate, unfollow them.
Rinse and repeat till your social media feed is clean.
Twitter is more than its infamous toxicity. It is a great place to get tips and tricks with respect to work. I sometimes feel it is more helpful than LinkedIn. All you have to do is follow work-related or any interest-related topics (by that, I do not mean topics that can offend and trigger you) to gain access to a plethora of knowledge.
I got tips from Twitter, which I have implemented at my workplace. Hard to believe but true nonetheless.
Where else would you see people unabashedly voicing their opinions on books, life, philosophy, work, family, and more, without the need of any media distractions? The focus is purely on words. There is no need to accessorize those words with pictures, audio, or video. The central attraction is your mind. Everything else becomes secondary.
But we choose to focus on the negatives. Like how we do with every other thing in life.
Of course, this does not mean putting your mental health at risk. If you feel someone or something is proving detrimental to your peace of mind, let go immediately. Or demand some space. Again, the choice is yours.
This rule applies to any social media networking site. If you feel social networking is toxic, pause a bit and check whom you follow.
The point is, you should not be the one making sacrifices when someone else is to blame. Tweak the situation such that you get to do what you like while cleanly cutting off the negativity that is making the experience less enjoyable. In social media sites, sometimes all it takes is a simple unfollow to regain peace.
P.S: No, I do not work for Twitter.
The Monkey Dilemma 