Response to Shirky... Duh?

Shirky is either a brilliant  "new media" analyst or a reporter of the blatantly obvious. Honestly, I am not sure which. He makes the point that it's the little inventions or advancements in new media (i.e. camera phone, e-mail, the Web) that make the greatest impact. In short, "new behaviors" matter more than "new technologies" (159-160).   Well I think everyone has already realized the amazing significance of email.  And I am not sure what the new behavior is. Is it that advertisers are now applying the science-based, viral infection pattern to marketing. Or is it that people are actually more susceptible to it because of the Web. Either way, Shirky seems to be downplaying the significance of the inventions and overstating the change in human behavior. I don't think the desires or needs of people really changes or at least it doesn't change as fast as the inventions produced to better meet those needs or desires.