[ta988]

Because all the good ones are flocking away to industry or other less ego-intensive careers. In my field it is gross, and if you are not talking on twitter you are not "active". And you have the same kind of citation rings you could (and still see) in papers but now with retweets... It is all about making it look-like science. We are really deep into the cargo cult... And at many levels, the grants, the papers, the presentations...

[mattgreenrocks]

Do academics really take Twitter that seriously? Can’t tell if this is a hot take or the culture eating itself.

[ta988]

Yes many do. And the students as well. And it really make groups, especially in conferences where it is another live communication media. The other thing is that then they start talking about their lives and food choices and other mundane things like any other. Give it a look.