140 Conference, or #140Conf if You’re Twittery

I attended the 140 Conference, an event to teach companies, brands, and Internet celebrity wannabes how to use Twitter to pimp themselves. Founder Jeff Pulver positions Twitter as a reflection of how the Internet is becoming a medium of “the now”, meaning it’s coming to life in real-time. The conference took place in a theater, with panelists ranging from Internet celebrities like iJustine to corporate brand managers. The audience was filled with people on their laptops, Twittering away and not listening to the panelists. Or, rather, just RT-ing whatever the panelists were saying. I couldn’t help but wonder if this meant they were actually listening and absorbing, or if they were just parroting. In any case, there’s no denying the powerhouse of importance in social media and business that Twitter has magically become. So the conference was, at the very least, really interesting. And, I have to admit – I really hate Facebook, and I led a personal crusade against MySpace because I hate it so much – but Twitter, I like. Maybe it’s the copywriter in me who likes it so much. Maybe it’s because it forces people to be concise, get to the point, and then shut the hell up. Or maybe it’s Twitter’s incredibly user-friendly interface that I like so much. Whatever it is, you can find me there a lot, so be sure to follow me @TheResident, ya’ll! Enjoy the conference coverage. I sure had fun!