Twitter's Complexity Explained Through Rube Goldberg Machines
Trying to understand how Twitter works can be overwhelming but one user has found an accessible way to explain it - through the use of Fractal of Rube Goldberg machines!
Dec. 25, 2022 10:02AM
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A cartoon illustration depicting a giant version of a Rube Goldberg machine made up entirely out of smaller versions itself
Trying to understand how Twitter works can feel like an impossible task. It's a complex system that requires intricate knowledge of the platform and its various functions. But one user has found a unique way to explain it - through the use of Fractal of Rube Goldberg machines. The user, who goes by the handle @techgeekgirl, recently posted a tweet that described her experience trying to understand Twitter. She wrote, "Even after I disconnected one of the more sensitive server racks, Fractal of Rube Goldberg machines … is what it feels like understanding how Twitter works." In response to her tweet, many users began posting their own interpretations of how they view Twitter as a complicated system. Some compared it to solving puzzles or piecing together a jigsaw puzzle. Others likened it to untangling knots or playing chess with multiple opponents at once. Rube Goldberg machines are named after American cartoonist and inventor Reuben Garrett Lucius Goldberg (1883-1970). He was known for creating cartoons featuring complex contraptions made up of everyday objects that were designed to perform simple tasks in convoluted ways. The term “Rube Goldberg” has since become synonymous with any overly complicated process for achieving a simple result. The concept behind Fractal of Rube Goldberg machines is similar but on an even larger scale; instead of using everyday objects, these machines are composed entirely out of smaller versions of themselves. This creates an infinite looping structure where each component is both part and whole at the same time - much like understanding how Twitter works! Twitter is an ever-evolving platform with new features being added all the time and existing ones being modified or removed regularly. It can be difficult for users to keep up with all these changes while also navigating their way around the interface itself. By comparing this complexity to something as familiar as a Rube Goldberg machine, @techgeekgirl has provided us with an accessible way to think about this seemingly insurmountable task!