Clay Shirky is a very smart guy. This slim volume, just 213 pages of text, has more ideas in it than books two or three times its length. Cognitive Surplus: Creativity and Generosity in a Connected Age explores the implications that we all have time on our hands. We are beginning to use that time in collaborative ways on projects like Linux (open operating system) and Wikipedia (open encyclopedia). By working together, mostly for free, astonishing results can be attained. Shirky cites the Josh Groban charity completely run by fans all over the world through the Internet. Shirky also goes off on fascinating tangents like the “Paradox of Revolution.” When Gutenberg and other printers started to produce Bibles, instead of creating stability, it sowed the seeds of revolution: if I have the Bible in my hands, what do I need a Church for?
And, Shirky points out, it wasn’t Bibles that the printers were busy turning out, it was “Indulgences.” The Roman Catholic Church sold “Indulgences” that served as a “Get Out of Purgatory” card. Before Gutenberg, the Indulgences were hand written (so there was a perpetual shortage). When Gutenberg and other printers could produce hundreds of Indulgences per day so the priests could sell them, opposition to this corruption arose. Martin Luther kicked off the Reformation citing these bogus Indulgences as a symbol of the Church’s greed. This is just one of the fascinating stories in this clever book. I highly recommend it! GRADE: A
In my opinion there is too much electronic connection and not enough face-to-face – or sometimes even voice to voice – interaction.
I agree, Rick. Too much impersonal communication. Many of my students lack social skills because they’re texting all the time.
Rick, you would have enjoyed Mssrs. Kelley, Crider and Smith trying desperately (and only succeeding sporadically) to get online at the Renainssance Grand this weekend. Bill was doing his best last night to sell us on the benefits of the iPad2, with some success I might add.
Once I was logged on to the Grand’s crappy network, it was still a slog to navigate the Internet, Jeff. See more of my critique in tomorrow’s posting.