A Week of Relevance

Ok, so Tumblr apparently requires a login to comment. Apologies on that one. Here’s the post:

This week, I want you to try to be relevant. It’s up to you to decide what is relevant for you and your followers, but I have a few suggestions to help you out.
1. Filtering yourself is the first and foremost. Everything which follows are just examples of this.
2. Unless it’s an emergency, wait at least 15 minutes to post something. If you forget it or it no longer matters, it probably wasn’t relevant.
3. If it’s only to one person, and not relevant to others, give them a text or a DM or an e-mail, don’t crowd public space with private conversation
4. Balance the informational and the personal. The point is to filter what you put out, not to filter the experiences you have.
5. Being passive aggressive or round-about online is so satisfying, isn’t it? But it’s petty and doesn’t accomplish anything, making it non-relevant.

The end point (credit to Winneganfake) is to cut the noise, increase the signal, but not to go silent.

We alter our values by altering the way we act. While it’s not an extremely slippery slope to occasionally vent about your cat peeing on your rug, or how cute that same cat can be, not having that as the main topic of your conversations will encourage you to create more things of value, and to have exchanges with people who are attempting to do the same. If you’re being responsible about the content you pass on to people who follow what you have to say, their content consumption will improve, and that helps you out as well. We’re all products of our environment, so decide what kind of environment you want to build and live in.

Other things to start on, besides your own projects: giving credit where credit is due, which includes tracing origins, and asking for permission to use others’ works. While it’s good to build on previous works, it’s also important to respect the original intent.

244 thoughts on “A Week of Relevance

  1. Not entirely sure I agree with some of your general points here. Twitter, when originally launched, was all about answering one question: What are you doing right now?

    While obviously, there’s tonnes of noise out there, I don’t think some of these guidelines are at all necessary. I for one, like the free-for-all “overview of a a very weird crowded bar” aspect of the service. But then again, I only friend people who I wouldn’t mind hearing silly or tangential stuff from.

    I mean, there are things I hate – @replies, multi-tweet messages, things that are nothing but a link. But increasingly, I think twitter is one of those services where the responsibility falls on you to determine what you are looking for in regards to signal.

    I also think you might be making a narrow line between the public/private binary. If I tweet with a target in mind, or @reply to someone, I fully expect others (if interested) to chime in. It’s one of the wonderful things about the service, the ability to take a private conversation public, if you want.

  2. Not entirely sure I agree with some of your general points here. Twitter, when originally launched, was all about answering one question: What are you doing right now?

    While obviously, there’s tonnes of noise out there, I don’t think some of these guidelines are at all necessary. I for one, like the free-for-all “overview of a a very weird crowded bar” aspect of the service. But then again, I only friend people who I wouldn’t mind hearing silly or tangential stuff from.

    I mean, there are things I hate – @replies, multi-tweet messages, things that are nothing but a link. But increasingly, I think twitter is one of those services where the responsibility falls on you to determine what you are looking for in regards to signal.

    I also think you might be making a narrow line between the public/private binary. If I tweet with a target in mind, or @reply to someone, I fully expect others (if interested) to chime in. It’s one of the wonderful things about the service, the ability to take a private conversation public, if you want.

  3. Not entirely sure I agree with some of your general points here. Twitter, when originally launched, was all about answering one question: What are you doing right now?

    While obviously, there’s tonnes of noise out there, I don’t think some of these guidelines are at all necessary. I for one, like the free-for-all “overview of a a very weird crowded bar” aspect of the service. But then again, I only friend people who I wouldn’t mind hearing silly or tangential stuff from.

    I mean, there are things I hate – @replies, multi-tweet messages, things that are nothing but a link. But increasingly, I think twitter is one of those services where the responsibility falls on you to determine what you are looking for in regards to signal.

    I also think you might be making a narrow line between the public/private binary. If I tweet with a target in mind, or @reply to someone, I fully expect others (if interested) to chime in. It’s one of the wonderful things about the service, the ability to take a private conversation public, if you want.

  4. Not entirely sure I agree with some of your general points here. Twitter, when originally launched, was all about answering one question: What are you doing right now?

    While obviously, there’s tonnes of noise out there, I don’t think some of these guidelines are at all necessary. I for one, like the free-for-all “overview of a a very weird crowded bar” aspect of the service. But then again, I only friend people who I wouldn’t mind hearing silly or tangential stuff from.

    I mean, there are things I hate – @replies, multi-tweet messages, things that are nothing but a link. But increasingly, I think twitter is one of those services where the responsibility falls on you to determine what you are looking for in regards to signal.

    I also think you might be making a narrow line between the public/private binary. If I tweet with a target in mind, or @reply to someone, I fully expect others (if interested) to chime in. It’s one of the wonderful things about the service, the ability to take a private conversation public, if you want.

  5. Not entirely sure I agree with some of your general points here. Twitter, when originally launched, was all about answering one question: What are you doing right now?

    While obviously, there’s tonnes of noise out there, I don’t think some of these guidelines are at all necessary. I for one, like the free-for-all “overview of a a very weird crowded bar” aspect of the service. But then again, I only friend people who I wouldn’t mind hearing silly or tangential stuff from.

    I mean, there are things I hate – @replies, multi-tweet messages, things that are nothing but a link. But increasingly, I think twitter is one of those services where the responsibility falls on you to determine what you are looking for in regards to signal.

    I also think you might be making a narrow line between the public/private binary. If I tweet with a target in mind, or @reply to someone, I fully expect others (if interested) to chime in. It’s one of the wonderful things about the service, the ability to take a private conversation public, if you want.

  6. Not entirely sure I agree with some of your general points here. Twitter, when originally launched, was all about answering one question: What are you doing right now?

    While obviously, there’s tonnes of noise out there, I don’t think some of these guidelines are at all necessary. I for one, like the free-for-all “overview of a a very weird crowded bar” aspect of the service. But then again, I only friend people who I wouldn’t mind hearing silly or tangential stuff from.

    I mean, there are things I hate – @replies, multi-tweet messages, things that are nothing but a link. But increasingly, I think twitter is one of those services where the responsibility falls on you to determine what you are looking for in regards to signal.

    I also think you might be making a narrow line between the public/private binary. If I tweet with a target in mind, or @reply to someone, I fully expect others (if interested) to chime in. It’s one of the wonderful things about the service, the ability to take a private conversation public, if you want.

  7. Not entirely sure I agree with some of your general points here. Twitter, when originally launched, was all about answering one question: What are you doing right now?

    While obviously, there’s tonnes of noise out there, I don’t think some of these guidelines are at all necessary. I for one, like the free-for-all “overview of a a very weird crowded bar” aspect of the service. But then again, I only friend people who I wouldn’t mind hearing silly or tangential stuff from.

    I mean, there are things I hate – @replies, multi-tweet messages, things that are nothing but a link. But increasingly, I think twitter is one of those services where the responsibility falls on you to determine what you are looking for in regards to signal.

    I also think you might be making a narrow line between the public/private binary. If I tweet with a target in mind, or @reply to someone, I fully expect others (if interested) to chime in. It’s one of the wonderful things about the service, the ability to take a private conversation public, if you want.

  8. Not entirely sure I agree with some of your general points here. Twitter, when originally launched, was all about answering one question: What are you doing right now?

    While obviously, there’s tonnes of noise out there, I don’t think some of these guidelines are at all necessary. I for one, like the free-for-all “overview of a a very weird crowded bar” aspect of the service. But then again, I only friend people who I wouldn’t mind hearing silly or tangential stuff from.

    I mean, there are things I hate – @replies, multi-tweet messages, things that are nothing but a link. But increasingly, I think twitter is one of those services where the responsibility falls on you to determine what you are looking for in regards to signal.

    I also think you might be making a narrow line between the public/private binary. If I tweet with a target in mind, or @reply to someone, I fully expect others (if interested) to chime in. It’s one of the wonderful things about the service, the ability to take a private conversation public, if you want.

  9. Not entirely sure I agree with some of your general points here. Twitter, when originally launched, was all about answering one question: What are you doing right now?

    While obviously, there’s tonnes of noise out there, I don’t think some of these guidelines are at all necessary. I for one, like the free-for-all “overview of a a very weird crowded bar” aspect of the service. But then again, I only friend people who I wouldn’t mind hearing silly or tangential stuff from.

    I mean, there are things I hate – @replies, multi-tweet messages, things that are nothing but a link. But increasingly, I think twitter is one of those services where the responsibility falls on you to determine what you are looking for in regards to signal.

    I also think you might be making a narrow line between the public/private binary. If I tweet with a target in mind, or @reply to someone, I fully expect others (if interested) to chime in. It’s one of the wonderful things about the service, the ability to take a private conversation public, if you want.

  10. Not entirely sure I agree with some of your general points here. Twitter, when originally launched, was all about answering one question: What are you doing right now?

    While obviously, there’s tonnes of noise out there, I don’t think some of these guidelines are at all necessary. I for one, like the free-for-all “overview of a a very weird crowded bar” aspect of the service. But then again, I only friend people who I wouldn’t mind hearing silly or tangential stuff from.

    I mean, there are things I hate – @replies, multi-tweet messages, things that are nothing but a link. But increasingly, I think twitter is one of those services where the responsibility falls on you to determine what you are looking for in regards to signal.

    I also think you might be making a narrow line between the public/private binary. If I tweet with a target in mind, or @reply to someone, I fully expect others (if interested) to chime in. It’s one of the wonderful things about the service, the ability to take a private conversation public, if you want.

  11. Not entirely sure I agree with some of your general points here. Twitter, when originally launched, was all about answering one question: What are you doing right now?

    While obviously, there’s tonnes of noise out there, I don’t think some of these guidelines are at all necessary. I for one, like the free-for-all “overview of a a very weird crowded bar” aspect of the service. But then again, I only friend people who I wouldn’t mind hearing silly or tangential stuff from.

    I mean, there are things I hate – @replies, multi-tweet messages, things that are nothing but a link. But increasingly, I think twitter is one of those services where the responsibility falls on you to determine what you are looking for in regards to signal.

    I also think you might be making a narrow line between the public/private binary. If I tweet with a target in mind, or @reply to someone, I fully expect others (if interested) to chime in. It’s one of the wonderful things about the service, the ability to take a private conversation public, if you want.

  12. Not entirely sure I agree with some of your general points here. Twitter, when originally launched, was all about answering one question: What are you doing right now?

    While obviously, there’s tonnes of noise out there, I don’t think some of these guidelines are at all necessary. I for one, like the free-for-all “overview of a a very weird crowded bar” aspect of the service. But then again, I only friend people who I wouldn’t mind hearing silly or tangential stuff from.

    I mean, there are things I hate – @replies, multi-tweet messages, things that are nothing but a link. But increasingly, I think twitter is one of those services where the responsibility falls on you to determine what you are looking for in regards to signal.

    I also think you might be making a narrow line between the public/private binary. If I tweet with a target in mind, or @reply to someone, I fully expect others (if interested) to chime in. It’s one of the wonderful things about the service, the ability to take a private conversation public, if you want.

  13. Not entirely sure I agree with some of your general points here. Twitter, when originally launched, was all about answering one question: What are you doing right now?

    While obviously, there’s tonnes of noise out there, I don’t think some of these guidelines are at all necessary. I for one, like the free-for-all “overview of a a very weird crowded bar” aspect of the service. But then again, I only friend people who I wouldn’t mind hearing silly or tangential stuff from.

    I mean, there are things I hate – @replies, multi-tweet messages, things that are nothing but a link. But increasingly, I think twitter is one of those services where the responsibility falls on you to determine what you are looking for in regards to signal.

    I also think you might be making a narrow line between the public/private binary. If I tweet with a target in mind, or @reply to someone, I fully expect others (if interested) to chime in. It’s one of the wonderful things about the service, the ability to take a private conversation public, if you want.

  14. Not entirely sure I agree with some of your general points here. Twitter, when originally launched, was all about answering one question: What are you doing right now?

    While obviously, there’s tonnes of noise out there, I don’t think some of these guidelines are at all necessary. I for one, like the free-for-all “overview of a a very weird crowded bar” aspect of the service. But then again, I only friend people who I wouldn’t mind hearing silly or tangential stuff from.

    I mean, there are things I hate – @replies, multi-tweet messages, things that are nothing but a link. But increasingly, I think twitter is one of those services where the responsibility falls on you to determine what you are looking for in regards to signal.

    I also think you might be making a narrow line between the public/private binary. If I tweet with a target in mind, or @reply to someone, I fully expect others (if interested) to chime in. It’s one of the wonderful things about the service, the ability to take a private conversation public, if you want.

Leave a Reply to oblique_ref Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.