Our new ability to connect immediately and effectively without regard for distance is fundamentally changing the concept of what it means to be human. The tornadoes that ripped through the heart of America last week are a tragedy on every level, but in the tracks left by those massive twisters we are seeing the blossoming of empathy: photos and personal papers released by the storms, often hundreds of miles away from the homes where they belong, are being collected and returned to their rightful owners via special pages posted on social networking sites.
We often wonder what use Facebook really is, but here's one answer. It is a tool to expand our compassion and our humanity. People who have lost everything they owned to the storms are receiving more than just lost photographs - they're receiving the love of their fellow humans, empathy and solace across the miles. Disaster these days draws us together more than it ever has, and our strength lies there.
Read more here: Memories Lost to a Whirlwind Alight on Facebook to Be Claimed via NYTimes.com
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