Why I Imposed a Twitter Moratorium on Myself--Why I am Lifting It

 

My Twitter Rules


            I imposed a Twitter moratorium on myself in April 2023 because I did not like the person I was becoming. I do not want to be a snarky, small-minded person who responds to petty insults and becomes angry because someone questions me. But I have thought through a set of self-imposed rules which I think will help me produce useful content on Twitter and also help me preserve my own sanity. Just a note to anyone reading this: the rules apply to me, not to anyone else. But the rules help any other readers understand where I am coming from. 


WHY I NEED TO WRITE:

1. I have worthwhile things to say. I returned to this blogger site now, in May 2023. As I read my January 2, 2021 post, I realized that my thoughts are worth reading. At least they are to me. I wrote that blog post four days prior to January 6, 2021, the day Donald Trump and his followers attempted to violently interrupt American democracy in progress. It genuinely impressed me how prescient I was. So I think I want to keep writing. 

2. I am not a great writer, but a functional one. That has always been the way I write. I spent decades in the military writing memos, and got better at it as I went along. My scholarly papers have never been amazing but have been fairly readable. 

3. I have had writer's block since 2015. That is when I completed my PhD dissertation and after I earned my PhD, I quit writing so much. This blog notwithstanding, I have not written too many words, but I do realize the therapeutic value of writing. 

4. I live in American society, and I am growing more distressed by what I see around me. In spite of what I said above in point 1, I am not convinced that Donald Trump lost and Democracy won in January 2021. To be sure, Donald Trump lost the election. But his popularity has not waned and that troubles me. I am bothered that people like Ron DeSantis are actually elected. I am troubled when people openly seem to advocate authoritarianism. I am troubled by the violence I see advocated in our society. Perhaps it is incumbent on people like me, with small voices, to continue to speak. 

5. I care about the world that those coming after me will be living in. I am 66 years old and have fewer days ahead of me than behind me. But that does not relieve me of my ethical obligations to my children, grandchild, and those of their generation. 

TWITTER RULES:

        First, let's be honest. The current social media environment is toxic. Twitter has become something of a mess. The current owner of Twitter certainly gives the impression that he wants the platform to be a mess. 

1. I will post what I mean to say.

2. I will post without personal insult to others. That does not mean I will not criticize the actions or words of others, but I will endeavor to do so without personal attacks. Attacking ideas is not the same as attacking persons. 

3. I will not respond to anyone who chooses to use a pseudonym or is anonymous. If you want to own your words, start by using your name. 

4. I will not respond to responses in which the responder attacks personally attacks me. 

5. I will post only once per day. That means I need to be judicious about the topic. 

6. Whenever possible, I will link to this blog. That is because Twitter allows only 280 characters and it is hard to say what one needs to say in that limited space. 


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