Twitter — The Fractured Mirror of Our Collective Unconscious

Is it worth being on Twitter (now “X”) for any reason?

The true answer is, in almost every case, “no.”

In the modern age, social platforms like Twitter have come to represent an incarnation of our collective unconscious.

By definition — and, in virtue of its content — Twitter is a swirling vortex of thoughts, emotions, and interactions that lay bare the murkiest corners of our shared psyches, only with seldom blips of value worth preserving — the unconsciousness of each mind on it made manifest.

As such, Twitter’s vast expanses are mostly replete with chaos. It is a mind-boggling platform where polemic discourses and outright bullying do not merely coexist but intertwine and clash with a cacophonous intensity and a fundamental lack of intellectual rigor and decency.

In this regard, Twitter has paradoxically rendered the world both connected and fragmented, blurring the boundaries between communication, manipulation, and disruption.

Why it is worth disengaging from Twitter

The platform has become a paradoxical arena where pursuing profitable connections and social solidarity usually leads to frustrating dead ends.

Despite its promises as a potential market for business, Twitter often fails to meet the expectations of those hoping to engage in meaningful transactions.

As a writer, I can attest to the profound difficulties of navigating through the sea of banality and vanity, attempting to connect with potential clients, only to be met with deafening silence or, at best, superficial exchanges.

Indeed, while I’ve managed to land tons of lucrative writing clients by cold emailing, I have never landed a single client through engaging on Twitter — not even when prospective editors and the like are soliciting.

Furthermore, as a social network, one must conform to a mob mentality to be part of a “community” — something that appears universal and not particularly isolated.

One must have the back of its members and feel the need to attack its detractors, which is inherently divisive and pointless when one has no real sense of solidarity with such a “community.”

And insofar as one has opinions that differ from the rule book of any such “community” and articulates them, one should expect a backlash in the form of Tweet and/or DM-bombardments.

Twitter use produces inauthenticity and time-wasted

The platform not only fosters a climate of inauthenticity, but it actively rewards it — those who act in the abovementioned ways tend to be those with the most followers and engagements.

The desire to market oneself or one’s products, or the desire to virtue signal to whatever community one feels they “belong to,” often leads to a performance, a charade of personality and intent — so palpable, in fact, that one must blind themselves not to see it (typically because, in so blinding, one blinds themselves to the mirror they refuse to see themselves in.)

We put on masks and adopt personas, all hoping to gain traction within the vast Twitter echo chamber.

Ultimately, authenticity is often the first casualty, replaced by self-serving projections designed to lure likes and retweets.

Sadly, even the most distinguished among us are not immune to this insidious trend.

Engagements with online trolls — individuals who seemingly live to disrupt and antagonize — have become a perverse norm even among scientists and academics, often making the platform a breeding ground for negativity.

It seems Twitter has an uncanny ability to bring out the worst in us, forcing us to question the wisdom of participating in its superficial and often toxic dance.

Those who immerse themselves in the Twitterverse frequently bear the scars of their engagement, as though they display pathologies for the world, presenting their foibles and failings as virtues.

The constant exposure to such distasteful elements may make one question the worthiness of preserving humanity.

Indeed, Twitter provides an inherently one-sided perspective, spotlighting humanity’s darker elements while obscuring the better ones.

It is a distorted mirror, reflecting not the nuanced tapestry of human nature but a warped caricature that fosters cynicism and disillusionment.

Is there a solution to this conundrum?

I argue for disengagement from Twitter, not because it’s fundamentally evil but because its structure and prevailing culture make it a challenging and often disheartening arena for authentic interaction and meaningful progress.

The choice lies with us — and we lie to it!

Do we engage with a platform that often belittles and polarizes, or do we seek alternative spaces that nurture positivity, meaningful connection, and authentic expression?

If we choose the latter, we may still preserve a vision of humanity that is worthy, enriching, and deserving of our collective effort.