Howard Jacobson: ‘Twitter will be the death of us’

Howard Jacobson, winner of the 2010 Man Booker Prize for The Finkler Question, has spoken of his distrust and scepticism about Facebook, Twitter and the internet in general, despite being challenged on its growing influence as a force for good in mobilising protests across the Middle East.

Howard Jacobson & Mariella Frostrup
Speaking at a recording of Sky Arts’ The Book Show, Jacobson told host Mariella Frostrup:
“I am unable to get excited about revolution in the Middle East…I suspect the political views of young people because I don’t think they know enough.

“I’m also suspicious when I hear Facebook as if Facebook is a terrific thing. I don’t get this. And I don’t believe that the internet is necessarily a force for good. I think the idea of twittering and whispering to one another at great speed when they might not have anything to say to one another is not a reason that we should be excited.
“Facebook will kill us one day. You mark my words: we might not be around to see it but Twitter will be the death of us. We’ll be twittered into hell.”

The 68 year old author was considered by many to be long overdue for the prize when it was finally awarded to him last October for his eleventh novel. It became the first comic novel to win the award in the prize’s history.

The episode of The Book Show will be broadcast on Thursday 3 March on Sky Arts 1 HD at 7pm.