tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6398461213147469571.post6565779621438812726..comments2019-11-19T13:53:12.109-06:00Comments on Citizen Marketer 2.1: Review: Clay Shirky's New Book, Cognitive SurplusAaron_Strouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964204478772858370noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6398461213147469571.post-53976510551927150302010-08-09T01:53:37.524-05:002010-08-09T01:53:37.524-05:00As you explained it in your comment Aaron, I total...As you explained it in your comment Aaron, I totally got your line of thinking and agree. Sometimes setting the tone and historical stage of something is necessary to preface the conversation about a (seemingly) new technology. Shirky does this brilliantly. I also was dragged right in by him. This to me comes from the combination of hard facts and fine storytelling being used. <br /><br />This is very similar to how Walt Disney (and subsequent company) uses story and visuals to place the viewer in a relevant experience and then drive home the brand message in the wrap up. One leaves a ride in Tomorrowland or EPCOT singing a little song with the brand name right in it. Strong stuff because now faced with that brand's latest technology or product, you're ready to sign right up, after which you now OWN that experience and tell your personal community.<br /><br />Regarding reading business vs. pleasure: I have a plethora of both that I read concurrently, but the most interestingly impactful was re-reading To Kill a Mockingbird with my wife and 13 year old. WOW! I missed a lot as a schoolkid. We're making sure our boys don't miss those details!Darin Kirschnerhttp://twitter.com/dkdzynnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6398461213147469571.post-50507441928137091412010-08-06T10:08:04.753-05:002010-08-06T10:08:04.753-05:00Chiming in belatedly here. Sorry...
-Trish, thank...Chiming in belatedly here. Sorry...<br /><br />-Trish, thanks! And thank you again for including me in this project.<br /><br />-Darin, a) I think you wrote my post better than I did. b) Nice job on the Soylent Green reference... "Soylent Green is... is... PEOPLE!" c) to answer your question (perhaps a longer post on this later), I've found that when senior management understands that something has roots in history and thus isn't nearly as scary as it initially seemed (like e-mail), then they are more inclined not to give it the Heisman. Shirky doesn't start with the "look at all these new shiny objects (social tools) that the cool kids are using - you should too" approach but rather talks about the historical evolution and psychological roots. As someone reading the book, you find yourself nodding your head a lot and affirming, "yeah, that makes sense" vs "over my dead body will my company ever use Facebook."<br /><br /><br /><br />Thanks for the great comments guys. And Howie, I'm in the same boat you are although having three kids has cut down on any kind of reading. However, I've started reading some really good business books lately and what I'll tell you is that reading for pleasure and reading business books doesn't need to be mutually exclusive as long as you pick the right books.Aaron_Strouthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09964204478772858370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6398461213147469571.post-7911993227983759852010-08-05T20:32:11.115-05:002010-08-05T20:32:11.115-05:00Man Darin hijacking your blog...again. Sigh. Actua...Man Darin hijacking your blog...again. Sigh. Actually it was a great comment. Hire him as your back up.<br /><br />Thank you for sharing. I never read business books. Though I was given Flip the Funnel for participating in a BtoB seminar. But I do enjoy people who are thought leaders and would love to read one of his books.<br /><br />BTW I read non-stop. I just read so much for business from periodicals/websites (economist, B Week, Fortune, blogs, industry trade pubs etc) its hard to then read books work oriented. <br /><br />But this was a great review. Thank ye!Howiehttp://www.twitter.com/skypulsemedianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6398461213147469571.post-10727046021044489232010-08-01T01:15:04.015-05:002010-08-01T01:15:04.015-05:00Great topic for a post Aaron, I love it! I also am...Great topic for a post Aaron, I love it! I also am a big believer in the idea that if people are engaged to DO something besides purely passive consumption, they will at least try. Shirky's point that if only a small percentage of the population concentrated even a portion of their "cognitive surplus" (free time) to creating instead of consuming, a huge shift will take place. If incentivised to do so the shift can happen faster and more conclusively. At the same time, it is fascinating to ponder WHAT is the change coming? Shirky says, the whole is so complex that it becomes difficult to see what a change might be as it is happening.<br /><br />In The Cluetrain Manifesto, Christopher Locke points out that corporations are simply made of people (or was he discussing Soylent Green? I get confused ;) ) and that given the opportunity to speak in human terms, in a human voice, they will speak their truths and do their best to get the job done and take responsibility, as long as the yoke of the oppressive corporation is removed. But what he is getting at (to me anyway) is that WE are our own oppressors. We are the ones who silence our own voices, tell ourselves we don't matter and decide that simple consumption is fine. Speaking up is too risky and too much energy spent.<br /><br />I wonder that this isn't JUST learned behavior from "the opiate of the masses" that traditional media is, but also a legacy of an education system that prefers quiet fealty and consumption of washed, polished, approved facts to be accepted as universal truth without questioning. The greater opportunity we are afforded by online social networks is to do more than simply look at each other's pet and kid photos and comment on how good dinner was at the new restaurant down the block to our friends. It is to wonder, ask others for their interpretations and opinions about anything, EVERYthing in this world and decide, or not, what makes each of us a better spouse, parent, child, human...<br /><br />If the 80/20 rule (where of 100 people only 20% will do the real work and rest will simply ride) applies, then in the face of Shirky's assertion that we are entering a new age of usefulness and stepping out of our blind passive, consumptive stupor, will that 20% be the whole who will bring it all about? Will the other 80% continue to simply consume and sit and watch TV, or more realistically, look a the pet and kid pictures and comment on the meals? If commenting on the mundane everyday is the total sum of the majority's input to the system and the society, is this enough? Does this take us back far enough to the Agoura of ancient Greece to shift the populace to a new "old" way of purchasing and interacting as Humans, not as metrics?<br /><br />Aaron, you state: "To me, it's this approach that has a much better chance of resonating with senior management and thus might help them better understand why they should be embracing rather than eschewing social media." If its not giving away too much, I'd like to read why you feel there is a better chance of resonating with management? Are companies beginning to recognize that opening the palm of giving and receiving ( the two way conversation) will be a more effective way of earning new and more dedicated customers than the tight fist of "we know what's best for you, don't ask WHY." of push marketing?<br /><br />Its a great thought exercise that gets at the heart of the entire thrust of the internet, but is it enough to move us forward as a whole people to the next level?<br /><br />Sorry I'm a little rambling, but there are so many sides and the implications are huge and complex. This conversation touches EVERYTHING and changes it all. Thanks for reviewing this book, I'm looking very forward to getting a copy to read it myself.Darin Kirschnerhttp://twitter.com/dkdzynnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6398461213147469571.post-66836168487079271262010-07-27T17:20:07.611-05:002010-07-27T17:20:07.611-05:00I love that Shirky has taken historical examples a...I love that Shirky has taken historical examples and applied them to today's social media. It drives home the fact that history is repeated over and over and over. <br /><br />I watched the video, and Shirky makes me feel like this is such an exciting time to live! <br /><br />Thanks for being on this tour!trishhttp://tlcbooktours.com/noreply@blogger.com