Email: Isn't Pairing up on Twitter Weird?

Dear Sir Fudge Esq

What are your thoughts on anipals pairing up on twitter and getting married. I know you're going to say everyone can do their own thing, but I definitely think it's strange. What must non anipals on twitter think of us?

Signed

Nonplussed


Dear Nonplussed

Thanks indeed for this email. To be quite honest with you, I really don't have an opinion that can neatly answer for, or account for this phenomenon.

But I suppose I have to start somewhere and the first thing that comes to mind is, for every single account on twitter, there is a different motivation for creating it. What does this mean in terms of the question you asked? It means that it's unlikely any one explanation or opinion can rationalize or account for twitter relationships.

One starting point I suppose, is to accept that the personalities of the different avatars reflect the personalities and aspirations of the people behind them. Some people (many probably) believe in marriage for all sorts of reasons. So it's not surprising that this extends into their twitter world.

Some time ago, a friend of mine submitted an email to me which I've posted here explaining the pleasure derived from losing herself in her creation. Her email brilliantly articulated the forgetting of reality and it's conflicts with desire and aspiration.

In other words, in cyber space, an ideal aspirational world is created. I think that's why, sometimes, I'm disliked by a certain type of tweep, it's not in my nature to pretend things are other than as they are. I can't pretend I live in an innocent world of plague ratsies and catnip duckies. There's nothing wrong with these things, I just lack the imagination to pretend even in cyber space, that the world is like that. It's my failing, not anyone else's.

To return to your email, what are my thoughts, and your supposition it's a little weird, the best way for me to answer is that no, it's not weird, it's simply an extension of a world view and an aspiration. It's no more illegitimate than my cynicism or repudiation of a McHappyLand world view. For every avatar/account there is a world view, aspiration being expressed, however unconsciously.

I've also learnt that no one on twitter is isolated. There's room enough for all of us, and everyone can find their niche. Even someone like me who is pretty vulgar and cretinous , I find plenty of people to shoot the breeze with, they accept all of my idiocy and I truly love and respect them for it. I'll admit, that like you, there are some things I struggle to understand. But just because I don't understand it doesn't make it unreasonable, it just means I lack the imagination or perspective to understand it.

And finally, I don't know why, but the idea of tweeps having relationships really appeals to me. I'm not sure why that is, maybe because these relationships are strong clues to understanding the personalities involved, maybe because it appeals to my love of social gossip, who knows? Who cares? In the end, who gives a fuck what I or you or anyone thinks? My advice to all is just be free. You don't know when your time here is up, let go of all the shit. Cyberspace is an arena where it costs us absolutely nothing to live and let live.

Just be free.