Earthquake- For a short time, something amazing happened on the internet. I looked at a vase of dried flowers from Trader Joe’s sitting on my table. I stared at them for about thirty seconds, but I was too surprised to understand what was going on. Then, I saw some messages on Twitter (which, at that moment, I didn’t want to call “tweets”).
Earthquake? Seeking Confirmation
“Did a big shake just happen in New York?”
“Did we just have an earthquake?”
“Did everyone just feel that, or…”
“This is why I left California.”
“We’re really excited that people on the East Coast can now join in on Earthquake Twitter!”
Before most people even knew there was an earthquake, those who spend a lot of time online had already figured out how big it was and that it really was an earthquake. They even started making jokes about it on sites like Twitter, before others who aren’t online as much even realized what had happened.
Something really rare just happened that brought together people from New Jersey, Philadelphia, New York City, and Massachusetts. We all shared our experiences openly, like in the old days of Twitter when you could post about anything without it being a joke. It felt like everyone was being real and honest about how they felt, just like on old LiveJournal or Facebook statuses where you could say you were tired without worrying if anyone cared.
It feels like we’re in a busy school cafeteria after a surprise fire alarm. We’re all excitedly talking about what happened, exaggerating and sharing our experiences. No one can focus on work. On our messaging app, Ron thought it was a train because his chair shook a bit. Matt compared it to a car crash, which is common in California. Dom, who used to live in LA, says it was definitely an earthquake. Brian, from California but now on the east coast, didn’t even feel it. Then, I shared my own story: I thought it was my neighbor’s washing machine.
Also Read: Earthquake Hits U.S.
When Elon Musk bought Twitter, many people who didn’t like the change went to other social media platforms like Bluesky, Mastodon, Tumblr, and even some that aren’t around anymore like Pebble. It felt like the end of an era because Twitter used to be the only popular option for short posts, unless you were already familiar with similar open-source software before 2022. This shows that having a common place to share thoughts and information, like a public town square, is important. It helps us feel connected and reassured, knowing we’re not alone in our experiences or concerns.
When the main town square is becoming unfriendly to anyone who isn’t into cryptocurrency or Tesla stocks, it shows us what we’re not getting. People on Threads are chatting about cherry blossoms. On Facebook, I happily find out there’s a new grocery store opening nearby, but nobody’s discussing the earthquake.
As someone who’s always lived on the East Coast, I felt something strange when the ground shook beneath me. Looking through my Twitter feed right after, I suddenly felt nostalgic. It reminded me of how the internet can be great – it made me feel calm, comforted, and like I wasn’t alone in experiencing the earthquake.
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