I tweak TwitterGrader occasionally – I think we all do – but it’s out of amusement and curiosity rather than any need for reassurance or validation. In the UK, we know who we are, what we do, where we fit, who we’d go to… I’m not sure any of us need a number.

I’m with Annie – it’s some form of fun

I found out I was in it by someone else twittering that they were in. At the time I questioned the validity of the list as people like yourself and @sizemore & other Londoners I know, weren’t on it & both of you Twitter lots more & have lots more followers than me (if that’s what “eliteness” is measured by).

http://twitter.com/anniemole/status/1029227155

After that I noticed a number of people as you say playing around with the settings to get themselves included or at least seeing where they ranked – which as you say is based on vanity or fun.

But the vast majority of social media and life in general works on vanity & we’d be slightly naive to think it isn’t.

Why do most people blog? If it’s not for money (which is certainly ain’t for the UK) it’s to share thoughts with others & make those thoughts & yourself public. Anyone who does that feels that what they’ve got to say is important and others might find it interesting too. It’s setting yourself amongst people who don’t do that and that’s vanity. Having badges that say you’re the XX’th member of an “elite” group is also vanity if you take it to its logical (or possibly extreme) conclusion, which makes both me and you vain.

Vanity isn’t necessarily a bad thing, if vanity gives you a pride in your work and what you stand for. Gaming isn’t a bad thing if it gets you to engage with something you might not have done beforehand & gives you some form of fun.