people want to be socially successful in the real world. As soon as they can, they will.

that's point one. but to get serious, why tripe like this is published

IMO, this Atlantic magazine article is typical, and exposes the paranoia of the DC types, and what hopeless analysts they are.

I read this author as in the past fearing the internet and asking himself questions like, "is it a threat to my career?". and then his gut told him "no, it is too balls-free, too superficial". And so this wannabe or established pundit writes up this snide shit about how vain Facebook users are. He likes it that Facebook is just people trying to communicate. ha ha ha. he thinks, I am superior to that.

of course if government was so foolish as to shut down the internet, then people would be forced to meet face to face and that would be a threat to everything this guy holds dear, including Atlantic magazine. So this guy correctly see harmless Facebook as his friend, and likes it. that it why he puts it down. Typical elitist bs