Is modern day social networking destroying our culture?

[Commander Data]

Facebook ... Twitter ... You know. Are these things leading to the dumbing down and stupefying of our culture, specifically young people? I think so.

Everyone I know uses facebook or Twitter. They don't read decent literature, listen to good music, appreciate art; they all seem totally oblivious to culture now that social networking has taken over their lives. It worries and angers me, but not many people agree. I'd love to hear intelligent reasoned argument on this subject.

Thanks!
If half of the people I knew spent half the time doing something productive that they spent on facebook, they would be a lot more interesting and probably more intelligent for it. But all they can talk about it facebook is facebook fucking that. "lol lmao omg I just posted something like so funny on my wall" eurgh...so annoying.

[914]

It could be argued that social-network sites like Facebook, are actually more `real` than some of the things you mentioned.

People have buried themselves in literature for hundreds of years. This was mostly just a form of escapism/fantasy, because there was little else to do on a cold winter`s night.

Ditto art and music. Just other ways of passng the time, and `escaping` for a wee while from reality.
At least on Facebook they are interacting with real people ... well, most of the time anyway - and the chat is real and instant.
I think it`s great.

[HannahSaysHii<3]

Yes, maybe, more people stay inside all day and basically stick their heads to the computer like me!
LOL occasionally ;D BUT, I think these networking sites also help people to know more about each other and plan to meet up and stuff!

Me, I'm not the brightest bulb in the class but on paper I sound very smart and I do participate in class discussions in my own point of views. Social net-working sites help people to be 'together' and to communicate; I'm not very sure if that affects music/art taste or how smart you are but in a way these modern day social networking isn't exactly 'destroying' our culture its 'changing' it probably for the better.

[Adam]

I could not agree more here in the United Kingdom everyone i know got into this face book culture selling their privacy away for minor luxuries obviously meeting and enjoying each others company in the real world is some how outdated now and so is privacy if its somehow normal to share every little bit of information about oneself on the internet to complete and total strangers including corporate interests something is most certainly wrong here.