Confesions of a "Stepford Commuter"

Andrew Sullivan criticizes technology's anti-social effects in two recent articles. The first explains how the iPod is killing social engagement by allowing us to retreat into our own musical bubble. The other (citing an email) connects disembodied online cruising to the social isolation necessary to become a meth addict.

While technology has also permitted all kinds of new social interactions -- like IMing and blogging -- that actual increase interconnectedness, Drew argues that these permit a selectiveness to tune out anything we don't affirmatively seek to engage. This is not good -- for example, it allows meth-heads to get their drug-and-sex fixes without inconvenient socializing. Sully sees a disturbing trend against serendipitous intercourse with random society and healthy exposure to the unexpected. What do you think, Ben?