Drunk Tweeting -- A Good Idea?
#TalkNerdyToMeLover's Awesome Applesauce: Charles Quevedo
Have you ever been guilty of "drunk tweeting" on "Twitter"? I admit that I occassionally have a Budweiser while I'm on the computer, but I haven't had enough alcohol where my "tweeting" is impaired (at least I hope not). To many people, "drinking & tweeting" is not a big deal. Who really gets hurt? It's not like you're operating a vehicle, right?
There is an old Latin phrase, "In Vino Veritas". It translates into, "In Wine There is Truth." It suggests that people are more likely to tell the truth when under the influence of alcohol. There may be some truth to that. I've seen several bizarre "tweets" that have left me asking myself, "Are they freakin' drunk?! What the f#uck were they thinking when they just tweeted that?!" Alcohol can act as truth serum and cause one to lose his/her inhibition. On Twitter; individuals have admitted to sexual affairs outside their marriage, hatred of their job or boss, a crime they committed ... secrets one would NEVER admit if he/she weren't under the influence of alcohol and at a keyboard.
You just NEVER know who's ACTUALLY reading your tweets. There's no more secrets on the Internet. Friends of people you're trying to keep a secret from can read your tweets and pass the information along. If your tweets are read by the wrong person, then there may be consequences. What are the consequences of drunk tweeting? Divorce. Loss of friendship or romantic relationship. Loss of job. Prison time.
Celebrities are particularly guilty of drunk tweeting. I've witnessed famous people on Twitter making ridiculous comments while they're supposedly at a bar or Hollywood event after-party, then discover that they've deleted their drunken tweets hours later (possibly for fear of it being reported by some tabloid magazine).
I guess the "delete" button is a good idea for wiping away any evidence of momentary stupidity, but if the comment has been "re-tweeted" (RT) 50 times by your "followers" (some who possibly have hundreds to thousands of their own followers), then you may have to live with the embarrassment of your provocative comment living on and being seen all across the globe. Be warned, your drunk tweets can spread like wildfire in minutes (and do a lot of damage to your reputation in that short time).
Is "drunk tweeting" a good idea? Probably not. After many drinks, if you CAN'T walk a straight line or touch your nose with your fingertips several times, then it's probably a smart idea to stay off Twitter until you sober up.
Follow Charles on Twitter: @FuglyCharlie