Six Degrees of... Everybody!

Having previously not read anything by Clay Shirky (why, I do not know). I decided to get a hold of Here comes everybody, his latest release. What a great read it has been!

Clay Shirky is an American writer, consultant and teacher on the social and economic effects of Internet technologies. Apart from writing various articles he has also previously published a book titled “Cognitive Surplus: Creativity and generosity in a connected age”.

The crux of Here comes everybody:

…We are living in the middle of a remarkable increase in our ability to share, to cooperate with one another, and to take collective action, all outside the framework of traditional institutions and organizations.

One of the greatest highlights of the book for me was coming to grips with the process of moving from sharing to collective action (a key process which Shirky analyses).

1. Sharing – this is the traditional way of doing things. One author, a few readers. No two way communication.
2. Conversation – this is the move from people merely acting as individuals to now starting a conversation about various topics of interest.
3. Collaboration – from sharing and conversing about these issues, users now have the power to collaborate i.e. the coming together of various independent parties for the purpose of some common effort.
4. Collective Action – this is the final step, which Shirky believes we are not at just yet. This is the point where the outcome of the efforts impacts the group as a whole.

With so much activity moving into the online space, this made me think of the value the online reputation industry can add to industries that are struggling to cross-over into the digital era (governments in particular come to mind).

Another key learning for me is encapsulated in this quote:

"Revolution doesn't happen when society adopts new technologies - it happens when society adopts new behaviours" - i.e. technology is merely a vessel for change. Our utilization therof will determine how society develops.

Apart from the above, Shirky also has a look at concepts like “user-generated content”, “mass amateurisation”, social dilemmas and collective action as well as  the adaptations, and sometimes disestablishment of institutions etc.

The book strikes an excellent balance between theoretical knowledge and the application thereof. There were times, on the theoretical side, that I would have to pause and think about what the author is saying (which is of course a very good thing). Once I understood the theory, Shirky would put it into context through modern day analogies. This book is also great for reference purposes and provides the reader with many more useful books which can be read upon completion.

For anyone interested in getting a snapshot of the digital world and an understanding of where it’s going, read this. If you believe that collective action is a decisive power for the future, read this. The world is becoming smaller and smaller and everyone is somehow linked, the final challenge for me is to see whether I can get hold of Shirky in six degrees or less…

Is has 352 pages filled with valuable content. I got it first-hand at a retailer for ZAR 206, but it is also obtainable via Kindle, Kalahari and Amazon (all selling it for a slightly cheaper price).