Please, Do Not Retweet This!!!


Let’s face it, we all like to be read or heard.

(And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.)

The problem starts when our desire for our post, or whatever that we want the whole world to witness, turns into some sort of a desperate obsession.

An obsession that disguises itself as the glamour that “going viral” promises.

You publish something new, and you do all in your power to spread the word.

@Somebody: “blah blah blah. PLS RT!”

This is where retweets are fake, irritating, and undeserved.

And, the supposedly ingenious rationale behind this “PLS RT!” disorder?

@Somebody has 3 followers, which have 4 followers each, all 3 followers do as (s)he pleads, and within 10 minutes of guilt — @Somebody’s tweet is fed to 12 other tweetple.

If you do the math, this actually has potential to reach a million people within just one hour — but it rarely does.

(Ok, “never” – There, I said it!)

An idea rarely spreads because its conceiver has begged to be talked about.

Asking for people to retweet your tweet is sort of begging to be complimented, but electronically, and in less than 140 characters.

@Boy retweet @Girl’s tweets with an unofficially-agreed-upon-but-expected expectation that @Girl will retweet @Boy’s tweets too.

Tweet for Tweet, type of a commitment.

Regardless of how worthy the tweet might be (or be about), if it is really that worthy of a share, wouldn’t I retweet it without you having to beg?

Sure, retweets can give you some exposure. But it’s showcasing greatness and excellence that will make me tell others about you, your ideas, and points of view. And not the five lettered entreat, “PLS RT.”

Behind the countless @somebodies under your so-called followers, lies human beings, and not potential audience or clients.

And tweets about starving kids in Africa aren’t excusable either. If your followers aren’t moved enough to share the a-dollar-a-day-can-feed-Sarah-for-a-day tweet with their followers, what makes you think that your follower’s followers will be moved enough to happily part ways with a dollar?

(A retweet, like a compliment, should be done out of will by he who is awed, and, not begged to.)




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— May 13, 2010.