I was invited to be a guest on National Public Radio recently to discuss the topic of Clay Shirky’s newest book, Cognitive Surplus: Creativity and Generosity in a Connected Age, with Clay and host Dan Rodricks on WYPR.
We discuss why people are giving up television for online digital activities that pool their intellect, energy and time, and how that is changing the world we live in. From lolCats to the oil spill, people are connecting online to form communities and becoming more engaged, especially when you compare it to the amount of time we all spent passively watching the televised sitcoms of the 70s and 80s.
Have a listen and feel free to share your thoughts on the topic – its definitely not a dull one! Click the link to listen to theMP3 of Tracey Halvorsen and Clay Shirky on Dan Rodrick’s Midday Show on NPR.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I enjoyed the interview, especially your point about “let your fans drown out your critics.” Since the conversation is going on anyway, it makes sense that businesses and schools need to change their way of communicating. If they don’t, we’ll only hear from their critics. Good stuff.
Rob,
Thanks for your comment on the interview and discussion. We can’t seem to say it enough, fear is not a reason to avoid social media. If you are indeed running a good or decent business, then you should have more fans than opponents. If everyone is complaining, perhaps you should actually be paying more attention to your detractors.