Status: political change happening now, public square nearest you

While "The Social Network" may have brought the phenomenon of social media (and the semi-socially awkward people who helped create it) to the forefront of our minds, social media has been impacting our society in tangible ways for several years now; and we're not just talking about facebook. A recent article published in Foreign Affairs shares the story of Philippine President Joseph Estrada's downfall by text message (http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/67038/clay-shirky/the-political-power-of-social-media).
Similar emphasis has been put on the use of social media by Egyptian protesters in organizing to bring down Mubarak. In his article entitled "Egypt: Social Media as a Life or Death Proposition." Simon Maiwaring argues the use of social media in instigating political change is more than just an interesting phenomenon of the 21st Century. He writes

"The use of social media in Egypt is a dramatic demonstration of a clash of cultures -- of the old and new, of violence and peace, of the past and future" ( http://www.fastcompany.com/1724837/egypt-social-media-as-a-life-or-death-proposition).

I am interested in the implications of this suggestion. While many have argued about the general political advantages (more connectivity, more means of expression for the general public) and disadvantages (social media is a tool used for trivial communication, not meant for news which requires more reflection and fact checking) of social media, Maiwaring has characterized social media as a symbol of the clash of civilizations. This distinguishes between the uses of social media in non-western, authoritarian cultures and the use of social media in western, democratic cultures. Does this mean that the U.S. cannot use social media as a vehicle for political action, since it is in sync with our culture? Would it be ineffective in an environment that already embraces public opinion and accountability for politicians? Should we learn from those in Egypt and the Philippines who used social media to their political advantage....or should we simply sign into Facebook to stalk our frenemies, and leave politics to the politicians and the newspapers?