Clive Thompson’s New York Times Magazine piece is notable for its thoroughness, straightforward explanations, and for using the awesome term “ambient awareness” to describe the sorts of online interactions that are so commonplace today. The powerful and evolving online social world has gone beyond the silly “social network” or “microblogging” conceit to become something far more: a way to keep in constant contact, a way to stay loosely connected to a larger social environment, and also a powerful tool for self-reflection and growth.