Ep 8. Clay Shirkey: How Cognitive Surplus Will Change the World
Clay Shirkey, a renowned author, educator and speaker, is featured in the eighth episode of the first season of TED Talks: Cyber Awe. Shirkey takes the audience on a journey into the unprecedented potential of the human cognitive surplus, and how it can be mobilized to create a better and more connected world.
Shirkey begins by contextualizing his discussion around the human cognitive surplus, defining it as the collective intellectual power that exists beyond what is required for basic survival needs. The cognitive surplus has grown exponentially with the proliferation of digital media, and Shirkey argues that this surplus has the potential to fundamentally reshape society.
Drawing inspiration from the successful contribution of countless individuals to open-source software projects, Shirkey suggests that similar volunteer-based efforts could be deployed to solve real-world problems. He emphasizes that these projects can derive meaning and motivation from the sense of purpose they provide, and can enable individuals to channel their cognitive surplus productively.
Shirkey also explores how cognitive surplus can be used to tackle problems that require collective intelligence, such as making sense of large data sets or mapping complex systems. By tapping into the intelligence of crowds, it is possible to achieve better outcomes than any single expert could alone. He argues that these collective efforts can be harnessed to form large-scale open-source projects that produce meaningful results.
In order to realize the potential of cognitive surplus, Shirkey stresses the importance of creating environments that facilitate its mobilization. He highlights new ventures, such as the creation of public libraries and community spaces for knowledge-sharing and collaboration, as critical mechanisms for tapping into the cognitive surplus of communities.
Shirkey concludes by emphasizing that cognitive surplus is not a finite resource, but rather a constantly evolving and expanding one. As technologies continue to advance and more people gain access to digital media, the potential for harnessing cognitive surplus grows accordingly. He encourages individuals and organizations to explore new ways of tapping into this potential in order to create a more connected, collaborative, and equitable world.
Overall, Shirkey’s talk on the potential of cognitive surplus is both inspiring and thought-provoking. His insights provide a fresh perspective on how we can leverage the immense intellectual resources embedded in global communities to create a brighter future for all. This episode is a must-watch for anyone interested in the intersection of technology, society, and collective action.