Irony Twitter: What the Real Irony Is
Since the upstart of Twitter, I avoided the social media platform like the plague. Mainly because if I had trouble shooting a one word text (‘k’), how would I ever be able to get my thoughts across in 140 characters? I was never one to be concise, so Twitter just wasn’t for me.
As Twitter grew and more and more of my friends and favorite public figures joined, I began to re-think my position on it. Perhaps it could teach me to be more precise with my words. Or maybe it could be an outlet for my thoughts and opinions. Back and forth I went in my head. However, I could never bring myself to actually sign up.
So why the long introduction into why I never joined Twitter? Well, before I get into criticizing it, I want to acknowledge that I definitely have a bias and a lack of intimate knowledge of the platform. Therefore, take my thoughts with a grain of salt.
About 5 months ago I started dating someone new, who was an avid Twitter user. I had never dated someone who was an active tweeter, so it was a bit of an adjustment and learning process. What I learned was that there was this niche community within Twitter that shared ‘hot takes’ and proof of ‘wokeness’ on current global affairs in an ironic and strangely sexual manner. Enter ‘Irony Twitter.’
Firstly, I will admit that the sexual part really bothered me as we agreed to commit to one another in a monogamous relationship. I mean, how would you feel if your boyfriend was using extremely sexual language with other girls online? “Your pussy should be in a sarcophagus” is just one of the many lines that he would use.
So, I found it incredibly confusing for a supposed male feminist to be using such language with female followers (‘fefos’), especially considering it was my own boyfriend. But the part that really concerned me was the fact that this was considered ‘normal’ in his circle of online friends. This was how they spoke, this was their language.
I am going to preface the next bit of this piece by saying that I am an individual who enjoys human to human contact. I refuse to message people when I can meet them in person, or at the very least call or FaceTime them. I understand that not everyone can be as social in person. Social graces and relationship building are not necessarily inherent traits. So, I get that it is sometimes easier to make friends online. However, what happens when all of your friends are made through an online niche community? What happens when you become dependent on this social media platform and allow it to define who you are as a person in real life?
I cannot speak for everyone on Irony Twitter, but I can definitely say what I have observed through dating a member of the community.
- Irony Twitter shares their opinions about the latest news story in an ironic (big surprise…) way.
- As funny as the tweets from the Irony Twitter community are, there is a negative energy, darkness, and hopelessness that surrounds the humor.
- The male followers (‘mafos’) and female followers (‘fefos’) structure is incredibly misogynist, anti-feminist, and ‘anti-woke,’ which I guess fits the irony theme.
- The majority of people on Irony Twitter are addicted to it and tweet more than any human being ever should.
- There seems to be a greater emphasis on cultivating relationships online rather than in person.
I can go on and on about the things I have noticed about Twitter, since I began dating my boyfriend, but these are the five key points.
I should mention that my boyfriend suffers from untreated depression and anxiety, which we are working on. I should also state that he has lived a very difficult and tumultuous life. So, the main constant that he has always had throughout these issues was Irony Twitter. I will forever be grateful for the support that the members of this community have given him. After all, it was a piece of his journey to me. However, there comes a point in one’s life when they have outgrown something or something has become too toxic and too consuming and needs to be removed.
If any of the other people on Irony Twitter are like my boyfriend, then surrounding themselves in a negative, hopeless, and dark environment does nothing to resolve their depression or anxiety. In fact, it worsens it. I see it very clearly in my boyfriend’s behavior if he has spent an entire day on Twitter. He becomes moody, despondent, and even combative. So, how is this ‘supportive’ community conducive to personal growth then?
On Irony Twitter, my boyfriend is like a king. Or a knight. Everyone in his circle seems to think that he is larger than life. It is a part of his brand, as an advertisement big shot in the big city, so I am told. However, put him in a real life social situation with my real life friends and he freezes. He retracts into his Twitter world.
I like to think of this gap between reality and his Twitter world as a kind of language barrier. There is a very specific way of speaking in each realm and the two rarely cross over. This is probably why my father has a hard time understanding him when he speaks and why he does not really feel at ease with my friends. It is also perhaps why I have a hard time understanding him myself.
Now, I can continue going on about how people on Irony Twitter use their political commentary for little else but retweets and likes and how the ‘fefos’ are an ego-booster, which sometimes make me feel uncomfortable, but it would cloud my main point. Irony Twitter is an escape for people who feel isolated and ostracized from the real world, however, there comes a point when this security blanket does more harm than good. And it is then that it is up to the individual to donate the blanket/throw it out.
Or I could just be a girlfriend jealous of my boyfriend’s relationship with Twitter.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Note: I am only discussing Irony Twitter, as it is the segment of the community that I am most knowledgeable on. I am sure that a lot of these same negative side effects exist with other Twitter communities as well.