While I was in my MBA program I amassed a daunting pile of books. The book I was most eager to pull off the pile and read was Clay Shirky’s “Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing without Organizations.”
The lucid thesis Shirky lays out for the power of the Internet and what he calls the read/write web to reduce the transaction costs of organizing group efforts is definitely transformational. The sometimes flighty and breathless discussions of web 2.0 (I am sure I am guilty of this) intuit some of the concepts that Shirky so clearly describes in a manner that clarifies why these changes are so relevant for business, government and organizations of all kinds.
Rather than present a vision of a freelancer’s paradise utopia, Shirky doesn’t hide from the fact that sometimes the consequences of these lowered transactions costs are that communities united in shared interests that are looked down upon in the broader society. One very troubling example is sufferers of anorexia uniting not to overcome the condition but to provide moral support and advice on how to continue to deprive themselves of food. This is very sad and a clear example that not everything associated with web 2.0 is for the better.
A twitter connection Steve Cunningham of Polar Unlimited has been creating a great series of video summaries of leading business books called readitfor.me. This week he reviews “Here Comes Everybody” at my suggestion, and I’m grateful for the shout-out at the beginning of his podcast.
So here is my advice:
- Watch Steve’s video summary of “Here Comes Everybody”
- Run out and buy “Here Comes Everybody” or download it to your Kindle.
- Read it.
- Do something great with the power of lowered organizational and managerial transaction costs.
- Don’t be afraid to do a lot of different things and fail at some (or even most of them).
- Learn from your fast failures.
- Do something even better.
- Lather.
- Rinse.
- Repeat.
11 responses so far ↓
steve cunningham // 3 April 2009 at 06:49 |
August – you boiled it down even further than I did – well done!
I would say that step #2 is the most important part – if there is ever a book where a summary is not sufficient, it’s this one. So if you are reading this, don’t just watch the summary – read the book!
Keep up the great work here.
Terry L. Johnson // 28 May 2009 at 07:01 |
August,
On my way to buy the book.
TJ
mattymil // 21 June 2009 at 08:40 |
August, Picking this book up next week. Can’t wait to red it.
Diane // 13 July 2009 at 22:58 |
I’m sharing your site with my class. Well-done with your podcast
This is a book that makes me want to act. Thanks!
Cynthia Lott // 17 July 2009 at 15:42 |
Thanks to Diane I found this site. This video is useful in summarizing the book.
Organizing Everyone « Moving 4 Word // 12 October 2009 at 17:05 |
[...] and offers practical insight in to how and why social media tools are effective (Check out August Jackson’s blog to see a video summary of the book).It seems that Here Comes Everybody emphasizes social media’s [...]
Innovation Everywhere – Human pulse to charge cellphone | // 20 October 2009 at 22:02 |
[...] Prizes, innovation, creativity, south to north information exchange, and web 2.0 where almost anyone can participate, perhaps a budding social entrepreneur, cool story. Is this an example of Clay Shirky’s Here Comes Everybody? [...]
Matt // 4 November 2009 at 10:36 |
Great summary! Can’t wait to get the book. Thanks!
chris boardman // 10 December 2009 at 17:39 |
thanks! I’m on my way to buy it now.
Don’t you love this new world?
It’s Digital Nature baby! no stopping it now.
CB
alexander rice // 27 January 2010 at 11:27 |
very nice im reading the book right now for a class and after hearing this its made me under stand it alot more
thanks AR
August Jackson // 27 January 2010 at 11:30 |
Alexander,
I’m glad the video was helpful.