Is Telephony Making Us Stupid?

The more people yell about Facebook, Google, and Twitter, the more I think back to Mark Twain, and his 1880 sketch, "A Telephonic Conversation."

I consider that a conversation by telephone—when you are simply sitting by and not taking any part in that conversation—is one of the solemnest curiosities of this modern life. Yesterday I was writing a deep article on a sublime philosophical subject while such a conversation was going on in the room. I notice that one can always write best when...