The Nice Post

Perhaps some of you have heard about the TweetSG saga. For those who have not, it’s been written at length by both Daryl and daphnemaia, who focus on the online reputation aspect of the debacle, as well as by the developer himself.

As for me, I don’t wish to rehash the conversation between me and the developer, but it did leave me thinking about the need to be nice.

Personally for me it’s important to be a nice person, and to keep a good account of myself. I don’t remember my parents actually teaching me this, but somehow it’s just something I’ve always believed in.

Growing up, I met some people who could best be described as naughty, but never “not nice” or just plain rude. But as soon as I left what I call the formative years and started university and mixing around with people from different backgrounds, it became clear to me, somewhat shockingly, that there are just people who are plain not nice.

Having grown up believing that we should be nice to one another, I struggle with this fact even now.

On one hand, there’s a part of me that thinks that there’s a higher power or some kinda karma that will come back to haunt people like this. So if I ever came across somewhat who I considered to be rather nasty, I’d usually stay far far away from them, mind my own business and hope that I never have to deal with them ever again.

On the other hand, there are people to whom being nasty is like their way of surviving this world. These are the people that, if you ever cry foul on them for acting badly, will say “That’s not my problem” or “Nobody owes you a living”. And the funny thing is that they are completely capable individuals who treat their own friends nicely, but they just don’t feel the need to be nice to everybody.

Of course, I know that it doesn’t pay to be nice to everyone all the time. Sure, in an ideal world it’d be nice, but you don’t want to be taken advantage of and sometimes you need to assert yourself in order to get what you want.

So as you can see, this issue plagues me a little.

I still personally believe that we should be nice to the people we interact with. And I rather not deal with people that are not nice to me, even if it’s not personal and that’s just the way they operate.

So how? Nice or not nice?

Btw, I use sgBEAT now to tweet from my mobile phone. So far so good. But now that I’ve been burnt, I’ve tempered my expectations a little.

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Journalism’s from Mars, Social Media’s from Venus

I attended the Open Room session organised by Ogilvy Digital Influence last week, entitled Journalism’s from Mars, Social Media’s from Venus. At first, I didn’t know what to expect, but as the debate became heated with both sides (bloggers/journalists) becoming very defensive, it became clear that the whole Mars/Venus thing was a pretty apt description indeed.

It was an interesting discussion, although I felt that the REAL CONVERSATION was actually in the live tweets from the various people in the room, a pity it could not be integrated into the discussion real-time.

Nonetheless, I have to highlight Daryl’s post on his thoughts post-Open Room (yes, I said post twice). It was mentioned during the talk that mainstream media won’t be going away soon, as many people still enjoy their morning paper with their breakfast/need a good read in the toilet (etc,etc) but what Daryl says about people our generation forming new habits at an amazing speed holds so true (think Facebook/Twitter/DSLR cameras/Mac books etc)

I know many friends who don’t read the paper anymore. Me, I tend to focus on the lifestyle pages, the “real news” pages don’t cut it for me anymore as I can get more timely news on the Internet. Or, as DK put’s it, “So why should I be paying for yesterday’s news when I can get today’s news free?”

Sure, with the internet, newspapers are hard-pressed to deliver breaking-news stories, but of course it’s not impossible. It’s called good journalism – seeking out news exclusives that we readers don’t have time to seek out ourselves. So, in a sense, social media is actually making journalists be better at what they do, which is a good thing, isn’t it?

Straits Times journalists are now on Twitter, that’s a good thing. Bloggers are now increasingly mentioned in the papers or even contributing to traditional media, that’s a good thing too.

I do agree that the two can co-exist, although I also believe both sides view the other with a little animosity sometimes, but hey, that’s natural i guess when you’re competing for the same eyeballs. But I still believe that MSM won’t die out anytime soon, so I guess journalists can heave a small sigh of relief.

As for the defensiveness, especially from the journalism side, I can totally understand. Being told that people prefer reading free news online than pay for a newspaper, that’s pretty hard to swallow when you’re livelihood depends on selling that paper. But I think that the smart journalist should adapt and work with the change, not cling on the old ways with a death-like grip.

As for me, I’ve always had to have my morning newspaper with my breakfast, but lately it’s morphed into having my morning newspaper AND my laptop open in f

I do believe that there is still a market for both, in Singapore at least. But that might change once my generation (gen Y) grows up and have children/grandchildren, etc..Flying cars and moving sidewalks, anyone?

Pardon the rather incoherent post, just thought I’d dash off some points lest I forget about the very interesting discussion hosted by Ogilvy Digital Influence. Looking forward to next session.

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SO I’VE BEEN SITTING

on this post for about a week now, just because I fear that it’s kinda uncool to admit what I’m about to admit.

So here it goes:

I still don’t know how to use Twitter.

This is after using it for more than a year now (well ok less than that since I didn’t really use it in the 5 months that I was in Vienna)

Sure, I know how to write a tweet, to re-tweet something I find interesting/hilarious/meaningful, to reply to someone with an @ sign etc.

Technically-speaking, I know how it works.

But I haven’t found my voice with Twitter, you know what I mean?

If you compare how I use Facebook with how I use Twitter, you can see what I mean.

On Facebook, I update my status pretty regularly.

I post funny videos, post photos with witty captions, state my opinion about some topic pretty strongly.

I’m pretty much ME on Facebook.

But on Twitter, I haven’t found who I am.

Before sending out a tweet, I think way too hard about whether what I write will be of value.

After all, I don’t want someone to read my tweets, decide that my tweets are completely meaningless, and *GASP* hit the “Unfollow” button on the basis of my lack of interesting things to say.

As a result, I rarely tweet.

Why the difference between how I am on Facebook, and how I am on Twitter?

Am I a Social Media Schizophrenic?

A Facebook extrovert but a Twitter introvert?

I guess I know the reason for my Twitter-insecurity.

On Facebook, everyone pretty much knows what kind of personality I have.

On Facebook, I’m comfortable because I don’t have to impress anyone anymore.

On Twitter, 75% of people I’m following are people I wasn’t friends with previously.

People whom I still want to impress with my wit and intelligence (I know, I know, what wit and intelligence?)

Therein lies my problem.

Thing is, how come others don’t seem to share the same problem?

There are people who seem so comfortable on Twitter.

They curse, they post random lyrics, they get angsty.

You know the kind of people they are from their tweets.
I admire these people.

I know, I know.

I think too much don’t I?

Complicating the uncomplicated.

In other news, I went to Jakarta for the weekend.

That was good.

My mom missed her flight, so in the end it became a 3 day hang-out with my brother and Erfen.

All’s good (well, not all, but you know what I mean)

In other news, I’m looking forward to meeting 8 cats this week.

Updates soon.

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spoilers

So everyone knows who won American Idol.

Well, everyone in America does.

And then someone decides to change their status on Facebook, or dash off a Tweet, and just like that, SPOILER.

As much as I wish I hadn’t seen these spoilers, I don’t see why people have to be angry when other people reveal a spoiler.

Or issit just me?

I mean, in this age of gratuitous, instant communication, how can we suddenly rail against our ability to receive and spread information simply when it doesn’t serve us?

With Twitter, Facebook, Plurk and other instant messaging services, I can safely say that we should say goodbye to days of “Spoiler Alert” and instead celebrate in the ease at which we can stay current.

Don’t you think?

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updates/craving for banana bread

01. I am 24!

Erfen got us tickets to Much Ado About Nothing. Although I love the idea of Shakespeare in the Park, I felt that some of the scenes didn’t translate very well into the real world setting, or maybe this play works better within the confines of a intimate theatre setting? The old world colonial style set was very charming though, and Adrian Pang was really really good in this comedic turn as Benedict. His red and white striped swimsuit is well worth the ticket price, I think!

Oh and have you met my friend Jonny? You may have seen him on TV hosting the School Nationals, or on Live N Loaded. Anyways, we’ve always remarked on how Jonny looks like Adrian Pang, so I decided to do this: (for no real reason. I call it Jondrian :P)

02. Have been busy trying to work off excess kgs. The gym is my friend!

Tampines gym is really really awesome. I had the chance to go to the Jurong East gym last week, and oh boy, the best way to describe the machines and general feel of the place is OLD. The area for stretching is super duper tiny, and the mats are very thin and crinkly. It’s a stereotypical male-centric kinda gym, where the main focus seems to be the free weights area. The whole I was there, there were only 3 or 4 women compared to 20 or so men? I did not feel at ease there at all. I love you Tampines Gym!

03. I have a new pet. Meet Bob Meowie. Sadly, he won’t be around long….*sad face*

04. I’ve just entered the Twitter Tees by Threadless contest. Vote for my tweet if you find it worthy! It’s

Lather.Rinse.RT

Quite funny right? Anyway, you can go to the site and vote for other funny tweets too! It’s rather fun to read the witty tweets. Winning tweets get turned into a t-shirt and the winner gets $500! You can join too! 🙂

TTFN,

nab

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