Journalist Clive Thompson makes an interesting observation and argument in the January issue of Wired:

The key argument is:

“We’re often told that the Internet has destroyed people’s patience for long, well-thought-out arguments. After all, the ascendant discussions of our day are text messages, tweets, and status updates. The popularity of this endless fire hose of teensy utterances means we’ve lost our appetite for consuming—and creating—slower, reasoned contemplation. Right?

I’m not so sure. In fact, I think something much more complex and interesting is happening: The torrent of short-form thinking is actually a catalyst for more long-form meditation.”

In summary, through the reading of successive short-forms, people keep thinking about an issue at length, then start writing substantial essays about it, whereas this form was formerly restricted to journalists and academics.

Read the article here to understand how he develops it.