I tweet therefore I am is a gloss on Descartes I’ve reinterpreted this last year. Cogito, ergo sum – I think, therefore I am. A philosophical statement that was first made in Latin by René Descartes. My take is a modern twist on that because I don’t believe in it.
What I am referring to is the belief that in modern times, if you are not present on social media, you are a nobody. As much as I am a believer in the power of social technologies (I work in the enterprise social industry), I’ve come to eschew that thinking.
I’ve come to this realisation especially at a time when, in a global pandemic where physical isolation is enforced and people feel that at a visceral level, the pressure is to be even more present on social media.
Unlike Descartes and more in line with Buddhist thought, I believe that you are not your thinking. Similarly, your tweeting or any social media activity is not an indicator of your worth or indeed productivity.
In 2020 I made a concerted effort to stop thinking about my social media activity and instead focus on what I produce, emphasising output.
I’ve sought solace in the quiet, inner recesses of my mind, upping my meditation ante. One post per week on this site at a minimum was also my goal and I’m glad to say I’ve been successful. These and other successes are quantified in this end of year review.
It feels good and I will continue to seek my fulfilment and productivity goals through similar means in 2021.