BUSINESS WEEK ONLINE — May 7 — It has been a while since 18-year-old Abe Hassan read a book of fiction or went to bed before 10 p.m. Hassan’s social life revolves around LiveJournal.com. Already, 28% of teens keep blogs, the Web logs that are fast becoming a prominent alternative source of news and commentary, while only 16% of adults do the same, according to market researchers Jupiter Research. Some pundits call the under-25 crowd the super-communicators. They love instant messaging (IM) and spend more money on their cell phones than on cigarettes, candy or music. They’re doing more and more of their interpersonal communications virtually.
Mark Brooks: 16% of adults keep blogs? There is, evidently, a need for more community and connection in American society. Hence the success of Starbucks, cell phones and online communities. But aren’t these modes of connections on rather a superficial level? Can we really replace good old fashioned, in the flesh contact with a few good friends.