In 2019, I revamped my Twitter account to focus on politics. I had expected nothing more than to keep up with the craziness of Trump and perhaps offer a small voice in a sea of voices. Somehow, I’ve amassed nearly 33,000 followers. This is to no credit of my own of course. I owe thanks to so many wonderful accounts that have helped me navigate the depths of the Twitterverse. I owe each of my followers my thanks (for tolerating bad puns, if nothing else). So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you! We’ve been through a lot. We’ve survived the 2020 election cycle, a few resister implosions, a few too many Paul Gosar videos, and more than our fair share of trolls. We are well on our way to the 2022 elections and the fight is not over; it’s only become more important.
So, what are we doing with all this Twittering?
It’s obvious that a resister’s principal goal on Twitter is to push back against attacks on our democracy and to push political dialogue away from the far right. Yet, it’s hard to see through the thick of things, to see what effect our tweets have on the big picture. Many of the accounts—big and small—are hung up with one question. Am I making a difference?
Yes! You are making a difference.
Whether you provide levity or critical insight, you are making a world of difference, even when you don’t see it. With that said, I’d like to offer my three reasons for being on Twitter.
Community
My friend @TG22110 contributes through trending hashtags. It’s a lot of work; I’ve done it. Yet, TG has trended more hashtags than Ted Cruz has read Dr. Seuss books and more than Lauren Boebert has read… well, anything. To what end, though? Sure, Triggering Lauren Boebert is a hell of a time, but many argue that her ilk is only emboldened by the spotlight and it rouses up more support from the GOP fanbase.
Let’s look at it deeper, though. If you take more than a cursory glance at TG’s account, you will find a loyal fanbase eager to tweet their support. This happens for two reasons: people desire to be part of something bigger than themselves and people want to be heard. TG provides this space while treating his followers with the utmost respect. He’s as genuine as they come. For every clever hashtag, he has thousands of posts about coffee, music, and making Dan Rather sneeze. Sure, TG has furthered national discourse through trending hashtags that are featured in publications such as Forbes, but he also makes his space fun. He provides his followers with a sense of community and purpose. Sometimes, that purpose is to trend. If you aren’t allowed to build a community of resisters,—trending hashtags or not—what other purpose is there, really?
Levity
One of my favorite things about Twitter is one-liners and animal pictures. Fun posts are so easy to like and retweet, and they often bring in non-resisters to the fold. Some have nothing to do with politics. That’s okay. As a new resister, I felt I had to “stick to my niche”. This couldn’t be further from the truth. My best tweet in recent weeks was a playful quip on grammar, of all things. Funny posts break the tension of Twitter. They provide respite when hearts are heavy and spirits are down. Some devote their entire timelines to these tweets, and I can’t thank them enough. We’ve all needed a laugh, and these tweets always seem to be there at the right moment. Sometimes you need to read gut-punching news; sometimes you need to see a cute goat.
Connecting Others
I’m often humbled by the great folks that I know on Twitter. You may see your followers as a random mix of avatars and personalities, but I see friendships. My favorite people and closest friends were once new followers. While it’s impossible to be close friends with every follower, I am taken aback by the genuine spirit of resisters. I look around my feed and see others laughing, crying, and forming bonds. I see them sharing heartbreaks. I see them learning about each other through photos of pets and family. I see people doing their best to be kind to one another. That’s the world I want to live in.
One way I’ve tried to pay it forward is to shout out other accounts. The size of the account doesn’t matter to me. The way I see people treating others keeps an account on my mind. I’ve witnessed resisters reaching out in times of loss, divorce, and addiction. I’ve seen resisters celebrate births, marriages, graduations, and vaccinations. I’ve tried, surely failing at times, to keep my heart in my Twittering and to keep people first. I will continue to strive for that. As a friend said this week, a friend of LP is a friend of mine. To that friend I say, I hope I can continue connecting people and making this world a better place one shout out at at time.
So whether you use your account to grow a following or keep your account private, whether you enjoy trending hashtags or just want to laugh or share pictures of your cat, I hope to see you in the Twitterverse. More importantly, I hope you find a purpose in resisting that goes beyond the next election cycle.
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I read from beginning to end, and I agree with your sentiments 100%. Twitter is garbage at times, but it can also be fun, inspiring, and inclusive. Well done, LP.
Great piece. I think a lot about my Twitter purpose. Your account serves as a role model for getting the resister job done while having a good time along the way. Thanks for this food for thought.