.png)
 | |
| Jacob Abrahamson Class of 2017 |
The political world is the best example, but there are many others. Presidents used to use television or speech-making as their means of communicating with the American people. The speech would be made, articles would be printed about it, and individuals would have an opportunity to truly digest what was said. Now the President is able to tweet out a statement (often misinformation) with no safeguards or fact-checks. Organizations try to respond with fact-checking, but it has reached millions of people before any debate has taken place. The media is also not innocent in this. Journalists can retweet something they think is a story before actually verifying any information. This incredible speed comes at the cost of verified information, something that worries me greatly.
My reasons for leaving Twitter are not only political, but also personal. The McConnell Center has placed me into situations where I could engage in classic books and intellectual debate with faculty and classmates. However, I’ve always had the tendency to become distracted from these intellectual endeavors. Most of these distractions can be found on my Twitter timeline.
I know I will have to work a little harder in law school (and beyond) to focus on what matters, so I have decided to leave my Twitter account behind with my undergraduate career. This is not to say I won’t miss the benefits of Twitter. It is the place for all breaking news, the home of some clever humor, and the best place to check Louisville Cardinal baseball scores. However, the time has come to give it up, and I think that the McConnell Center has prepared me to continue challenging myself without having to refresh my Twitter feed.
Jacob Abrahamson, of Bowling Green, Ky., is a senior McConnell Scholar studying history and political science.