Happiness and twitter

I don't like to think of myself as shallow but I know that I can be.

In some ways I think that social media can seem like a popularity contest.

Writing on the purpose of life the philosopher Robert Nozick said: "What we want, in short, is a life and a self that happiness is a fitting response to."

That is, if we chase after happiness for its own sake we probably won't get there. Happiness is a by-product of a fulfilling life rather than a goal in itself.

I think the same reasoning can be applied to social media and would convert Nozick's quote to read: "What we want, in short, is a social media profile that lots of followers and a high level of interest is a fitting response to."

Lost my mind...Ah, found it.

A colleague recently pointed out a top contender for most inane tweet ever. A mutual acquaintance tweeeted "Lost my stapler," followed up a few minutes later with the stunning news: "Ah, found it."

I get the point that Twitter is conversational and fleeting but I wonder if we should put a bit more effort into the fragments of our thoughts we share with the world.

The Italian writer Baldesar Castiglione wrote in the 16th century of the ideal courtier: "...if because of his other activities or through lack of study he fails to achieve a commendable standard in his writing, then he should take pains to suppress his work, to avoid ridicule, and he should show it only to a friend he can trust."

We're spilling everything out in a postmodern way and, while it's good to share, sometimes the results are not pretty.