In the span of a week,  two articles that put the social networking phenomenon known as Twitter through the ringer decided to grace the pages of the New York Times. One of them, “Let Them Eat Tweets,” was written by none other than Virginia Heffernan herself, a woman, who only weeks before declared her virtual hatred for the iPhone.  The other, written by Ms. Snarky herself, columnist Maureen Dowd was titled “To Tweet or Not to Tweet.”

In these articles, both women not only profess their annoyance for a tool that is being used by millions of people around the world, they give Twitter a virtual gang beating, make it bleed to death and then leave it tossed on the side of the road.

“I would rather be tied up to stakes in the Kalahari Desert, have honey poured over me and red ants eat out my eyes than open a Twitter account,” wrote Maureen Dowd.

Twitter is connectivity for the poor, boasted Virginia Heffernan. Both came off sounding like elitist and obnoxious curmudgeons. I’m surprised I didn’t wake up the next day to a column from both of them that started with the phrase, “Back in my day…”

These recent tirades in the NYTimes against Twitter bring up fascinating observations about the newspaper industry and the people in it, mainly that that attitudes portrayed by the likes of Dowd and Heffernan are perhaps part of the reason why I wake up to media companies going bankrupt, institutional newspapers halting production and journalists being laid off a dime a dozen.

It is obvious that these curmudgeons still “don’t get it.” And by “it” I mean a variety of things, mainly that the newspaper industry is failing and needs to reexamine their models and strategies, that social media is valuable and that change is necessary and good.

Facing the facts is a necessary evil. Why not be proactive about the changes taking place in the industry, instead of writing a column about how much you hate this new internet phenomenon which does nothing to change public opinion, but instead really shows your true colors as a bitter, self-absorbed, dino-journalist who is resistant to change.

I mean, have you seen how many people have been laid off in the newspaper industry in  2009 alone? Have you? Do you need a refresher? That’s 8,484 and counting, in case you had forgotten. Meanwhile online publications and community journalism are soaring. It’s time to either step off your elitist pedestals, or join the game.

If you’re not interested, I say move over, and let an entire generation of passionate and ambitious journalists who understand social media and welcome change (myself included) take over, because obviously, someone is not doing something right.

Contrary to popular belief, I still pine to one day see my byline within the pages of the New York Times. I still believe  in the thrill of the chase for a story, in long hours poured over research just to satisfy my own craving that I have my facts straight. I still get a rush every time I interview someone for an article and I still believe that journalism can change the world. I want to change the world. And apparently, so do a lot of young people, as journalism programs, at least at USC and Columbia University, have seen a huge increase in applicants:

“It’s like an adrenaline rush. Every day is different. Every story is different,” said Annenberg student Adrianna Weingold, 24. When she added, “There are very few careers that let you get out in the world and talk to people and learn something new every day,” an old flame within me leaped anew. Really.”

Adrianna, I am so there with you.

I am still unclear as to why the two aformentioned journalists have such a strong disdain for such a simple and small thing as Twitter. What is there to not “get,” I wonder. Why would someone who has their feet planted in an ever changing industry be such a curmudgeon? More importantly, why WOULDN’T you want to connect to people, especially your readers. These columnists, I believe, have forgotten one very important rule, that journalism isn’t about them. Journalism is about the world, about people, about different experiences and events. It’s a huge pool of diversity that keeps growing. Why a columnist who has millions of people read her column every week would purposely refuse to take part in a dialogue with them is just beyond me.

But you know, whatever. You just keep hammering away at your columns,  and I’ll keep doing what I’m doing, along with the journalists who “get it” all across the the U.S and beyond. In the wise words of The Borg from Star Trek, resistance is futile.