Innovation in gene use vs. technology

"We have got the same basic building blocks and plumbing [as other species], but we use it in ways that are unprecedented."

- Prof. Robert Sapolsky, at Stanford Class Day 2009.

Isn't this the same as innovation in social media? We use the same platforms (Twitter, facebook, Google), but it's the way we use them - for health care, social connection, or political dissent - that truly makes them innovative.