A very interesting thread , with some excellent points raised . I am of the `Technology is my servant , not my master , generation .`
We are seeing the rise of a new form of addiction , which will have many of the same old associated social costs as other behaviours , with perhaps a new wrinkle or two . Time will allow us to rank it in comparison with other addictions . Unfortunately , the young are the most susceptible to falling prey to these things .
I doubt that many of us would have foreseen the rise of a 20,000 per month habit , or of individuals 2 feet away conversing by text . The first person will be unemployable , and frankly , I wouldn`t want the other two either . The questions now are : How do we prevent more from falling into this hole ? and How do we help those who have fallen in , out ? Better heads than mine will have to answer those questions .