The Todd Blog

This weekend I had the opportunity to engage in my first Twitter fight. It wasn’t on a noble topic like global warming or social justice, but instead on whether or not teaching a class on Twitter deserved a punch in the balls.

Obviously, as one who teaches classes on Twitter (and social media in general) I took offense to the statement that teaching a class on Twitter deserved a punch in the balls. And so I responded with that sentiment. Here’s a play-by-play of how it went down, followed by my completely unbiased (ha) commentary. Sorry it’s so long, but I want it to be clear what was said and by whom.

That was the quickest “agree to disagree” response I’ve gotten in a while. It’s nice to be able to disagree without actually providing any support for your viewpoint.

(She followed up this tweet recognizing she used “respectively” instead of “respectfully”.)

So this is how she “respectfully” agrees to disagree?

I don’t want to beat up on Shea too much. She’s certainly entitled to her opinion.

But she’s completely, utterly wrong. She’s characterized our classes on Twitter and social media in general as if we’re teaching people how to use the tools. But that’s not at all what we’re doing – we’re teaching people why to use it.

In her blog post from today, she compares the social media classes I teach to daytime commercials teaching elderly people how to use the Internet. This is as mean as I will be, but this shows a complete ignorance of what social media is all about from a corporate perspective. We’re not dealing with Internet novices, we’re dealing with companies who are trying to navigate this new world of transparency, openness and technology. It’s a completely different ball game writing a blog about Jessica Alba than figuring out the legal and bottom-line-influencing complexities of starting a corporate blog or Twitter account.

So again, Shea, is entitled to believe that people like me should be kicked in the balls or be relegated to douchebag status. She just shouldn’t be surprised or play the victim when people react negatively to that viewpoint.

So what do you think? Did I overreact? Am I being unfair? I want some more opinions.

P.S. Mom, I’m sorry that you had to see my type the word “balls” and “douchebag.” I don’t really know what they mean, but I know they’re bad.

Wichita was graced by an Internet celebrity last Thursday night. Paul Smith, better known as the “TwitchHiker,” spent a couple of hours hanging out with some folks at a tweetup held in his honor.

Smith is on a mission to travel the world in 30 days all on the gifts and good graces of kindred Twitter spirits. These newfound friends are paying for his flights and Greyhound tickets, giving him rides and putting him up overnight in their homes. He started 12 days ago in Newcastle, England. Last Friday morning, he was on his way to Austin, Texas for SXSW.

Smith is doing all of this for charity: water. Simply by asking the Twitter-world to donate, he’s already surpassed his goal to raise more than $4,000.

We understand peoples’ skepticism with Twitter. The idea of proclaiming to the world what you’re doing does sound a little ludicrous. But examples like TwitchHiker highlight the power of this simple site. (For more on Twitter, be sure to come to Thursday’s WAMA luncheon. It’s all about how, despite the challenges, brands are benefiting from Twitter. And yes, this is a shameless plug for a presentation I’m giving.)

For more on Smith, be sure to check out his website, where you can follow his journey and contribute to the cause. Also, be sure to check out the news story from KAKE – you might even catch a glimpse of yours truly.