Communication

Is communication a basic human need? I have been reading the book "Reading Lolita in Tehran". The totalitarian regime in Iran stamps out of all forms of non-islamic intellectualism in the society. The author, Azar Nafisi, sets up a secret class of students to study and discuss Western literature. Throughout the book, she talks about her need to discuss the novels/ideas with her colleagues or students. While a great deal of the book relates to the role and relevance of fiction to everyday life, it also brings out the overwhelming desire amongst people to communicate. This is amplified by the peculiar settings of the regime that attempts to weed out all unfavourable ideas and conversations from the common conscience.
The internet revolution is a manifestation of the human need to communicate. It drives the development and adoption of new technologies and social interactions. Communication may not be a basic physical need but it most certainly is a basic mental need. I wonder if it is true in most of the animal kingdom too. Imagine putting an ant in a glass jar with plenty of food and oxygen. Would it survive? Would its predicament improve if there were two ants instead?
If we then agree that communication is vital to survival, where does that leave hermits. Are they people that have truly conquered a basic need or do they suffer from a form of mental deficiency?