I Don't Need Twitter's Need to Know Now...

Twitter’s appeal is predicated on our need to know things right now. As 2009, the year of Twitter, draws to a close, Simon Dumenco of Advertising Age examines what he’s learned about that:

• We don’t usually need to know right now. Unless you’re a surgeon waiting for a tweet about a heart transplant, it can usually wait until later.
• But we really like to know stuff right now. Even completely worthless stuff; it makes us feel in the loop. It can give us an adrenaline rush, and it’s pretty addictive.

• Fast information is often wrong. Sometimes it’s details, like the number of people at an Iranian protest. Other times…
• For Twitter to survive, it needs a lot of disconnected devotees. How many obsessive tweeters are really out there? Fundamentally, wouldn’t we rather focus on the people and things actually around us?
• Knowing right now is pretty exhausting. RT@simondumenco: I am tired, Twitter. Really, really tired.

(More Simon Dumenco stories.)