Social critics are decrying the explosion of social networking such as Facebook, blogs and Twitter, which are predominantly used by young people. These critics claim that social networking is further isolating people from necessary face- to- face communication, which is a characteristic of tribal behavior. The proponents of social networking claim that it is a force that will create a new and powerful paradigm of tribalism.

Human beings are social animals and need some form of community. Since the time our ancestors gathered together in caves for protection and food we have formed tribes and exhibited tribal behavior. As civilization advanced the tribes got more numerous and specific, developed into institutions, communities and countries. The predominant characteristic of tribes throughout time is the need to communicate.

The rise of modern civilization with its secularism and isolationism has done much to break down the tribal glue. Social observers like Robert Putnam, in his book, Bowling Alone, underscores our weakening traditional tribal influences, saying that young people's disinclination to join community groups today can be translated as a lack of social responsibility. But Putnam errs in his conclusion by saying that young people don't want to participate in tribal behavior.  It’s just that the format and structure that their tribes take are different. It's called social networking.

As evolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar says, modern human tribes are based on our need to use language and communicate.  With the growth of the Internet with its capacity to communicate 24/7 everything and anything to anyone on the planet, we have created the ultimate platform for tribal behavior. Seth Godin,author and entrepreneur, in his latest book Tribes, argues that social networking has taken tribal behavior to a whole new paradigm.

The power of social networking, combined with the Internet,can literally change any political, business or social landscape rapidly, as witnessed by how Obama's team ran his political campaign. In addition, social networking in some ways is virtually poised to not just dominate the Internet,but also redefine it.

So what social networking can do combined with a tribal structure is very quickly mobilize a shared interest and becomes a powerful way to communicate. In effect, as Godin, says, every tribe becomes a media channel.

John King, co-author of Tribal Leadership: Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization, argues that tribal behavior in the music industry is a good model for how organizations can see their future, which focuses on capturing the minds, hearts and souls of its customers. In that context, social networking is a powerful mechanism to build tribes.

So while the critics of the explosion of social networking point out the negative aspects such as the lack of privacy and proliferation of useless information, decry the breakdown of traditional tribalism, what they maybe overlooking is the ability of internet social networking to build strong tribal behavior on a global scale, something than can be beneficially used as a vehicle for desired social, political and environmental changes.

Ray Williams is Co-Founder of Success IQ University and President of Ray Williams Associates, companies located in Phoenix and Vancouver, providing leadership development, personal growth and executive coaching services.  www.successiqu.com