Excerpts from “Gin, Television, and Cognitive Surplus” by Clay Shirky

 

Here’s a link to an article in Edge Magazine with the transcript of a very interesting talk by Clay Shirky called “Gin, Television, and Cognitive Surplus”.  First is the introduction, then an essay by TIM O’REILLY, and then the actual talk which is about half way down the page.

 

In this talk, Shirky argues that our leisure time provides a societal “cognitive surplus”. Shirky argues that TV has, up until now, absorbed much of our society’s “cognitive surplus”.

 

But that now there has been a small shift away from watching TV and that even such small shifts can and will have a large effect:

Now, though, for the first time in its history, young people are watching less TV than their elders, and the cause of the decline is competition for their free time from media that allow for active and social participation, not just passive and individual consumption. 

 

Barack Obama – “Turn Off The TV”

The first time I read that Barack Obama had said that parents should “turn off the TV set and put away the video games“, I just cringed. Of course I agree with the sentiment, but it seemed to me that saying such a thing out loud, by a politician, would be political suicide. 

Fame Junkies and TV

Thanks to Chris for recommending this fascinating book.

 

Why are American’s so obsessed with Fame and celebrities? Jake Halpern, in his book Fame Junkies does an excellent job explaining this mystery. To do so, he gets to know a number of people who are either obsessed with becoming famous or are obsessed with celebrities.

 

It would be easy to be scornful of obsessed fans and celebrity slaves, but Halpern is instead very sympathetic. As a child he was obsessed with the TV show “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous”. To the point where his parents became so alarmed that they threw out the TV. He continues to be non TV-watching, which he feels, gives him a useful outsider perspective.