Twitter Shows Its Nasty Side
Sunday, November 1st, 2009It seems that the Daddy of Twitter, Stephen Fry has decided to quit the Tweeting citing “too much aggression and unkindness” as the cause for his departure.
Fry has caused a kerfuffle on the micro-blogging site leading to finger pointing and cries for the famous presenter, writer, pod-caster, actor, academic not to abandon his followers which number close to 1 million.
It has yet to be seen if Fry will stand his ground on the decision.
tagged under: Online Bullying.Quit.Stephen Fry.Twitter
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Was there one particular negative post or a lot?
That wasn’t his last tweet. He did say he’d think about it AFAIR. So the bit about standing his ground is a bit silly really
Think you might want to fix the punctuation in the headline…
@Niall – I don’t know. Maybe it was a number of things, I find Twitter can be very negative at times. The aftermath of the Tweet would only confirm that view.
We all have those days though don’t we?!
@Danny – He hasn’t tweeted since shortly after the tweet. As I said, we all have those days. I’ve considered and indeed decided to quit it all many times. I hope he doesn’t give up.
@Archie – The reason one shouldn’t blog…or in fact do anything in a state of hangover. But thanks for keeping me on my toes- god forbid an errant apostrophe should go unremarked upon.
I started following Stephen last night after hearing about this stuff and have to say – what a pile of, what I imagine Mr.Fry would say, poppycock.
He went on to apologise today about it citing tiredness and general… mbleh. Who cares? It screamed “look at me” from what I read. Really brought Fry’s public image down a tone in my books, anyway.
I realise it’s a micro-blog, and your feelings should be shared, but to react to melodramatically to someone calling your tweets “boring” is borderline sociopathic.
@Lottie That was the brother above, not my good self.
In all fairness the man does suffer from manic depression (I know it’s bi-polar disorder now but I’m old-school). He was probably having an off day. I still don’t understand how this became a topic for Sky and BBC news though.
@Kevin – “It screamed “look at me” ” I don’t wish to be disparaging about Fry as I think he’s superb but isn’t that what Twitter is all about?
@Niall – Two become one? I don’t know how I did that. I’m much more alert today…hopefully.
I think you’re right about “having an off day” and it was no more than a silly halfhearted frustrated comment.
What I think is really interesting is the press coverage it has attracted. It’s pop-culture and more so that which will have no effect whatsoever on the world but it made prime time news!
Is it that there just isn’t enough real news out there and they need to fill the space? Or that people want a little light celeb “gossip” to ease the stories of hostages, war, depression? Or is it that Twitter has become so relevant that it is actual news?
To an extent, Twitter is about self-branding and yes, “look at me”-isms. But he’s Stephen Fry, a man who’s spent the better part of his life in the public eye, yet he has an online emotional breakdown because of a tweet calling him “boring”?
As far as his bi-polar disorder. I won’t go into it, but I know someone close to me who has the same issues, and if a randomer on the internet called him boring there would be absolutely no reaction. I realise people are different, etc. – but I’m sticking with my guns on the over-dramatic response and not using anything else to blame him for it.
And yeah, it’s insane how this made it to the Sunday Times etc. I said it on twitter – do they not realise there’s a war on?
@Lottie How DARE you mix us up! Only joking.
@archie I was going to point out that too. But I always feel like people hate me a little every time I do! They do, though, don’t they, though?
(Too late to edit the previous comment now)
But I can see why you made the mistake in the picture above. My good lady Gill said the about that photo: we have the same concentration face!
I watched the tweet come in. and the almost instant response of loveliness from people to him.
I agree, a bad day. He said himself he was low.
Stephen fry is like that friend you’ve had since school. Sometimes he disappears and all you can do is show him the love next time he’s in town.
Every public forum has it’s downs. I left a forum I used to post to religiously because I just couldn’t take the dark n nasties anymore. Such is life.
As the song says.. Moving On Up Movin On Out