AAHHHH TECHNOLOGY!!!!!!!

Clay Shirky “Here Comes Everybody”

Reviewed by: Holly Swenson           

AHHH TECHONLOGY!!!!!!

Have you ever really sat down and thought about all of the technology that is around us that wasn't there not too long ago. Have you really thought about all the things on our cell phones we can do now and the development of the internet. Think about NEVER going on facebook or twitter or any other kind of social network again, would it be difficult for you? I know it would be for me. The way we can communicate with people all over the world with a click of your computer you could be talking and viewing someone in Africa. It is that simple now. There are so many new and amazing things out there. For an example I found a really good website that really allows you to keep up to date on  some of the things that are going on in this technological world it is http://www.cnn.com/TECH/  These things we are so used to and we don’t even think about it anymore we just do it. taking a step back and realizing how things are working now In this technological world is a really amazing thing.

In the book by Clay Shirky titled “Here Comes everybody,” he recounts how social tools such as facebook, blogging, wordpress and twitter, file sharing, and Wikipedia like group conversation and group action in a way that before they only could be done through being at an institution. Shirky talks about how that with the arrival of these new online social tools groups can form without such a time cost like it was before. I think this is also very important to think about because it is very true. Its amazing to me now to think about that and the point he makes in his book because its crazy all of the things we can do now. 

I wanted to research the actual definition of social networking because I really wanted to know what the official definition is and if it’s still true. On http://www.whatissocialnetworking.com/, they say “Social networking is the grouping of individuals into specific groups, like small rural communities or a neighborhood subdivision, if you will.”  I think this is really different than the definition I had in my head. To me when I think of social networking I think only communicating with people online, I would not think of neighborhoods and subdivisions. Interesting.  Its crazy how many people we can stay in contact with online through these social networks. I also think about my grandparents and how in the world they can keep up to all of this, nothing they have ever known or ever taught. Its easy for us to adapt because we were raised and learned on computers in school and it is just all around us our whole lives, but the older generation I think about a lot and just wonder do they know what’s all out there and what we are capable doing now. Its amazing to me.

Another thing I really liked about this book is when Shirky mentions the fact that the power of the web and its networks is that they make it extremely easy to form groups.  Joining facebook now is no problem, my dog has a facebook! When I was younger I really wanted a facebook but you had to be in college and have a college id to send to them to have them verify if you were In fact in college or not, then you could have a facebook. Myspace.com was a little easier to get but too had its disadvantages. For me I really was thinking about this book and thinking about all that Shirky has said and it got me thinking about what other kinds of social networks are out there. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_social_networking_websites shows a long list of other social networks I didn’t even know existed. It was interesting to see all that is out there and other options other than just facebook, myspace, twitter, and blogging.

I also enjoyed how Shirky’s book really has an interest in activism rather than others that don’t really express as much and are more for worried companies or CEO’s. In this book he really makes aware everything that is going on and doesn’t sugarcoat it.

I really enjoyed this book and I think I got more out of it than I thought I was going to. It made me think about the things I use everyday as my daily routine and how my parents did when they were my age. Its amazing. I think Shirky did a really good job at putting things into perspective. He paid very close attention to detail with everything he talks about and describes in his book. I really enjoyed his style of reading and understood it very well which I always a good thing when reading something for class, but I really enjoyed it. I liked Shirky so much and this book I decided to find out more about him and what he is doing today. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_social_networking_websites shows a really good biography of Clay Shirky. He is and has done some amazing things in his life. I really enjoyed reading his bio after reading “Here Comes Everybody,” it really gave me a better understanding of the author and where he is coming from and how he developed all of his knowledge on the subject. It was very interesting.