Dinner, Friday night, after talking about the merits of blogging and its impact on society, or lack thereof, with the dooce.com Wii giveaway as the case in point:

Me: Did you read what Leta said about wanting a little sister?

Matt: Who?

Alicia: I told you, dooce’s kid…

Matt: Oh, yeah. Exactly. See? Why do I care? (or something like that)

Me: Anyway…Repeating the story about Leta wanting a little sister and thinking of another option that takes less time to build.

Waitress: Are you guys talking about dooce? Sorry, I heard you say “Leta” and just figured…

Me: A-HEM. I rest my case.

It’s only fitting that I blog about it. I mean, I didn’t Twitter it.

The internet has the potential to be the great leveler, the shared experience that connects people by their interests and proclivities. Blogs are soap operas for the Net Generation and those of us who share their characteristics. As Alicia pointed out, people like Heather, Maggie Mason, and their peers personify the Tipping Point theory of Marcus Buckingham. They connect others without even trying. They start conversations, call attention to trends and things on the brink of being trends, and create a bond between me, Alicia, and the waitress at The Restaurant in My Basement.

And retailers and businesses who ignore that impact, however small it seems, could very well end up in the same position as this printing company I know about.