This structure is old, and needs to be revised, since it was invented before the internet. Now, where do I put Linus torvalds on that list ? or even Larry Page, since they've got a G+ account and I have added them to the circle "modern age shakers".
Not necessarily. G+'s circles conflate "people I know" with "people I'm interested in." This isn't necessarily a bad thing - it may even be a good thing - but I don't think it makes the cited social distinctions invalid.