In the past, our media-fueled society has lauded new technology as a redemptive medium: saving us from boredom, inconvenience and severed communication.

However, more recently the media have covered the advent of Facebook, Twitter and iPhones as harmful drugs abused by America’s young people.

It is true that Facebook limits face-to-face conversation and iPhones make life exorbitantly convenient. But these advances are not responsible for all the modern world’s problems.

Although most teenagers are, in fact, close friends with their cell phones, this technology has not dissolved societal norms. “LOL” and “TTYL” may be in constant use, but more traditional conventions like shaking hands and holding doors for others are intact.

Another common complaint deals with privacy. Reports of Internet stalking and revealing photos are valid and concerning. A google search for “Facebook is dangerous” reveals over 36 million results, the first page filled with sites providing concrete proof of the perils of technology’s newest hit.

However, these warnings, and outliers of actual events, do not indicate widespread disaster. This is especially true of privacy features, which are developing as quickly as bare-it-all areas.

The cause of this nation-wide lament of technology is difficult to trace. At its root are media who associate sensationalism with profit. There is nothing like the “demise of a generation” to sell a newspaper.

But there is a deeper reason for our unnecessary panic: society is changing faster than ever, and adjustment is uncomfortable. Senior citizens, baby boomers and even younger adults find themselves confused about the constant adaption and attribute it to a swiftly approaching dissolution of manners and social systems.

Ironically, the 35-54 demographic of Facebook has skyrocketed most of all, with a 276.4% increase in the duration of a six-month report. Many grandparents use text messaging and Youtube expertly. It follows that adults have changed their paradigms too.

The fear of the younger generation, as seen clearly through America’s uneasiness with progress, is largely unfounded on facts – indeed, it is logical to guess that society will change less than we expect.

The pillars of our interaction have changed little over the years, and a social networking site with handy features will not derail those values.

For more opinions from The Feather staff, read the Dec. 8 editorial, The originality ordeal.