cottage industry of ideas

we look at consolidation of companies as a way to get market share. what about consolidating internet 'social' groups with similar interests, such as the dozens devoted to writers and writing on Linked-In, to get greater exposure (let alone to reduce demand on bandwidth). or, are we seeing in the proliferation of smaller groups the resurgence of a cottage industry of ideas that's going to float the boat for future intellectual enterprise? i'd hate to think the exchange of ideas we're seeing today as the result of increasingly widespread internet availability will become a personal one-on-one, with everyone asking and answering to themselves -- like looking in a mirror. but who knows.... if we're all captive in our own small prisons, and there's nowhere to go but up and out, then .... what?