Being "wired" to your friends, neighbors, and even scant acquaintances has its advantages.
For antisocial misanthropes like me, networking on the Internet (my tool of choice is Facebook) keeps me aware that there are, in fact, other people in the world. Who knew? In my own neighborhood, even. People who are related to me, went to high school or college with me, and who, inexplicably, even care about me.
And the more caring we express about each other, the more caring we feel. Social networking builds friendships. Keeping up with one another via the tools on the internet overcomes the embarrassment we shy folk might have over, for instance, walking up to a former high school classmate and saying, "Happy Birthday."