Clay Shirky: How cellphones, Twitter, Facebook can make history

[lightandbeautiful]

Homosexual activists understand the power of words.

Please visit my channel to watch a one-minute video clip in which popular atheist author Richard Dawkins admits that homosexual activists "hijacked the word 'gay'".

The word "homosexual" is more appropriate and accurate because it, unlike the word "gay", actually describes the behavior/attraction/relationsh­ip being discussed.

The word "gay" helps homosexual activists push their agenda.

[Samail666]

right?

[GB016768]

It annoys me that he keeps saying 'right', after he makes a point

[endsequence]

This is a classic TED talk presentation. Listen to what he is talking about, and then keep in mind his talking points in relation to the Arab Spring. This man hit the bulls eye.

[taKenzZzZz]

Check out the resource based economy. Automation can free the human potential. Zeitgeist: Moving Forward is a great documentary here on YouTube explaining this humane alternative to the current inequal system.

[peoplebreeze1]

Action is the supporting force of ideas. It is when we back our concepts with action that our ideas gained momentum to change our circumstances. Thus, change is the unified force of our actions when strengthen can change our circumstances. peoplebreeze com

[crudhousefull]

Media abusing China again. Quick recap...after the West raped it like it raped every other country and messed with their administrative system, it just took them 50 years to beat them at their own game with central planning and a novel new way of organizing themselves. Anyone who says that that country has a bad governance system is delusional and a brainwashed retard

[thejollypilgrim]

Excellent stuff.

[andreeaweed]

Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people..this is success

[TabethLastel]

legit way to make extra cash online /watch?v=BMPhsRN19Ms

[IeshaBeden]

best facebook hack ever /watch?v=Fd0di5HFboY

[MrSwedishJesterhead]

...right?

[asifff]

my phone turns into a radio when I push the right buttons!

[TheLyricsGuy]

I just read that YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook are merging. It'll be called You-Twit-Face.

[kokyfe]

Somebody Can gimme the subtitle....

[cephoras]

Does the presence of the Black Panthers at the entrance of the polling place qualify as voter suppression?

[reshadstar]

I love this guys. He is an incredible speaker.

[WonderWomanFan4life]

where are we headed Tom?? I mean seriously.. how far will we go with this entire movement? Will people get sick of it eventually? Informatino that used to bring in money is now FREE. OK the free stuff has taken away jobs. No worries but even jobs in airlines, etc have been removed because AUTOMATION, internet, technology programs, cognitive surplus. But those jobs are gone.. So what next??

[Pianofy]

@WonderWomanFan4life Maybe we wont ever have to work anymore. I'm looking forward to it already!

[ronjonaski]

Nice! thanks for the share, I found a bunch of free facebook stuff at -- facebookworld (dot) i n f ox <-- remove the spaces and "X" and use the actual "period key" on your keyboard, not the word. lol

[WonderWomanFan4life]

@ronjonaski

In my opinon its is not free. They sell our information. I found a bunch of my old addresses on MS, FB they have where people can BUY info. therefore I have closed my accounts for sure. I mean we are in the age of knowing everything. But no big deal i guess. I rather pay and be confidential. but I guess it is FREE..

[MusiciansTime]

I agree, nothing new, this bores me.

[MarkMillionaireGuru]

Hello TEDtalksDirector

I have to admit I am very impressed with the quality of your videos here on youtube.

They are certainly a pleasure to watch as I do enjoy them.

I am sure there is many others who also feel the same about your videos.

Mark McCulloch

[socratiz]

@MarkMillionaireGuru

No Doubt! Way to direct the conversation mark!

That was very interesting! I was talking about this conversation during dinner tonight.....

I had asked my friend:

"How do you think communication will change within the next 5-10 years? How will we become more connected? Can you imagine the unimaginable?

Maybe brains will realize that we cannot become more connected then absolutely digitally connected and we will start sponataneously evolving psychically. .hehe

[skruvisx]

Hundreds of Twitter accounts hacked bit . ly/2T8NBn

[violaineroe]

Stop saying "right" at the end of each sentence.

[kappnel]

HA! you noticed that too? Did you do a "right" count? Maybe if I have an abnormally boring day I'll do it....It would make a good drinking game.

[1800ghostdance]

@violaineroe hahahaha so many times

[kandyeyes17]

@violaineroe You get up there and speak in front of all those people, lets see what you say at the end of your sentence, that is if you finish it. lol

[cooldude12345657]

twitter is by far better than myspace and facebook.trust

[Contradiction11]

The Illuminati will love the media explosion. Everything can seem like one big conspiracy, hiding as one big conspiracy.

[FlamingHomelessDude]

the way we express are selves through these mediums is what is the true revolution.

the last story he spoke of strikes a cord on why Americas gov't isn't the best. We are not a Democracy but a Republic. This means that the people only have an influential say; we do not have the final say. If so many people were against FISA then in a true Democracy then that is what the States stand would be. However we are a Republic and the leaders we choose ultimatly have the final say on nearly everything

[mrlowdangle]

we have a 'democracy' in the uk (supposedly) , which can be ok for getting permission to put a shed in the garden,or dog shit bins in the local park,(even then,only if your lucky)..but it doesnt make the slightest bit of difference what the public thinks when it comes to the real big issues, like our part in the unprovoked attacks on iraq and afghanistan.

democracy or republic, i dont think it makes much difference these days tbh..same shit in a different box

[soulsabre655]

@FlamingHomelessDude that is a poor example since a democracy is based upon the idea of majority rule. if there is a million people on the forum, even if all of them were against fisa then they would not compose a majority. im am not disagree with your point it is just a flawed argument

[ITR994]

Together changing the world.

[mcdspin]

is that a bald tom hanks?

[dbalieiro]

[repost] @[[MayasNet|dbalieiro]]

[letsgo1lasers]

I will be silent now because I know!

[letsgo1lasers]

Please don't mention the word "global" with the "White House" at the center.

[letsgo1lasers]

You think China, North Korea, South Korea, Russia, Japan France,Iran,Great Britain ,Israel so many, etc will stand by and not choose sides or do nothing while perhaps Nuclear Missles are flying everywhere? We "GLOBALLY" will say, "If we're gonna go? Let's all go with a big bang!

[letsgo1lasers]

Guess what, it's not CHINA rather Asia, rather the " World". I will can go on with Religions or even its Justice, Evil, and TRUTH.

[letsgo1lasers]

You see China as a way of helping gain your personal wealth and power is what I now see or hear.

[letsgo1lasers]

When was the last time you heard or read Martin Luther King Jr's "I Have A Dream"?

[letsgo1lasers]

By the way sir, How do you say "White House" in 6,809 different languages "GLOBALLY" ? Sir.

[letsgo1lasers]

Greed........That logo of the "White House" in the center should have many more faces of the world both black or white. Both happy or sad. Both Good or Evil. Did you think that there is no faces surrounding the United States of America "White House" where right now President Obama lives with 2 daughters with a black colored dog. More detail detail detail detail SIR!

[noselfnoproblemo]

GREAT STUFF!

[biscoito1r]

this guy is really Tom Hanks in disquised

[WoWanate]

Damn your right haha

[amillionzillion]

shame that no one ever take youtube comments seriously... (and that they get disabled on some vids)

[cooldude12345657]

everyone should have a twitter account its the new social world and its fun and cool,tell your friends and other friends

[agentskalle]

When did Tom Hanks shave his head? He wears glasses too? :)

Interesting talk though..

[jebintommy]

you are so right!

[George4943]

This author (a producer) agrees by simply posting this.

We participate. Yes it is a centralized message on one video. And then it becomes a conversation among the participants.

We communicate, two at a time. I the author speaks to thou, dear reader. And the magic non-mirror-image mirror transforms My I into your Thou.

At a given moment only 2. But the exponential size of the interactions over time. Awesome.

[zappyhod]

Anyone ever seen that picture of the universe??...Intresting how that internet color painting resembles it... Don't you think?

[beebobox]

person who created that map of the internet, had seen a picture of the universe ? :)

[burningeko]

the amount of people on the earth are approaching the amount of neurons in the brain, the internet connects us all.

that's something to think about

[beebobox]

saying that the amount of people are approaching the amount of neurons in the brain is like saying - the amount of water you drink is approaching the amount of water in the atlantic ocean.

the number may be rising but it's nowhere close to being the same, atm the world pop is closing in on 7 billion, and the neurons in the brain are about 100 billion.

the population will grow faster then the human brain will get bigger.

so approaching ?

yes

a good comparison?

no

[dmix09]

wow

[ferris5150]

great talk, loved it! does anyone think that he lookes like tom hanks if he had hair?

[JustinHSabaj]

yes. sounds like him a bit, too.

[marqujud]

interesting how he explains that Obama nicely ignores the people's opposition. Its like sure have free speech, but we'll ignore you anyway. typing words, sending letters of opposition will only do so much, if the government doesnt act on these voices, then its repressive, no matter how much we speak out.

[drchaffee]

The whole point of the story was that he didn't (and couldn't) ignore the opposition. He had to reconsider, and explain himself. No president is going to perfectly reflect the will of the people on every issue. If every issue could be voted on directly by the people, it would be am uncoordinated mess. The result, in my opinion, is a compromise and not a sinister repression. Not looking to argue, just my opinion.

[anonsparrow1]

not bad

[gamepro94z]

wow this is amazing information i never thought of the media in this way before the people now have more of a say in what goes on and we cant be controlled and its just started!!! our future is going to be amazing and for the good. we can save our Earth with this now we don't have a master that tells use what to do.

[NearlyShaoKahn]

This is great, 13:00 it's like a hivemind. This really is history in the making.

[Animalll2003lll]

true but maybe it's better like that anyways. I don't know. very good remark.

[fornow100000]

this is really great. POWER to the PEOPLE but again this is a double edged sword. it can limit you very much (ex locate you, spy on you, listen to your conversations etc. Nonetheless I think the average citizen today can learn a lot more than before

[DuMyth]

Its a compromise, but then again, as long as i am legitimate in all my actions, the law cannot harm me because i do not represent any threat to the society i live in. Therefore, i do not suffer for being spied or having my conversations listened, though i do take advantage of having available the largest database in human history: internet.

[fornow100000]

well... i wish it were the truth. unfortunetly reality is a bit diffrent. they can declare you enemy if they want to. fabricate evidence if they want you. you gave them the right to hear you see you and now give them your DNA. don't you think that the big brother has too much information? goverments are not gods. they are evil and intrest driven people behind it. wake up before its 2 late. i invite you to watch my 'favorities' . Perhaps u ll understand what i mean. dont take ur freedom4granted!

[nomuffin4u]

bald Tom Hanks?

[hell0kittylover]

no lie!! LOL

[pro7o7ype]

So after all the activity in the FISA group, absolutely nothing changed. I'd say that's rather uninspiring.

[BaileysBeads]

Not really, it means he listened to them but wasn't directly influenced by them.

His community is not some kind of lobby-group after all.

[pro7o7ype]

Because he sent out a memo that's supposed to be taken as a great achievement?

I just had this silly notion that in a democracy, leaders policies represented the will of their constituents.

[BaileysBeads]

Indeed, so not just those that happen to be part of his little internet forum.

[godraisty]

Your statements are rather naive.

Because he sent out a memo, and stuck with his plan makes him a good leader.

If you didn't know, just because many people think something, doesn't make it right or true. Watch the movie Swing vote. It's an interesting look at how leaders who "follow the will of their constituents" isn't a good idea.

[kennebacasiskyle]

great video

[HalfFullYeah]

Look at Iran right now!!!

Go Communication Go!!

IN-FOR-MA-TION!!!

[KaiTendo174]

@HalfFullYeah ...in-formation? :D

[1ferg1]

this is really similar to a talk douglas adams gave over 10 years ago thats printed in his book the salmon of doubt. in fact at 5.15 its pretty much word for word identical. just goes to show how ahead of his time douglas adams was, what a legend! read his books if you haven't already

[Sovieto]

this ended, and i wanted to keep hearing more... :(

[cannoir]

very informative video Clay, thank you for breaking it down for us .

NB: clay has an interesting pair of ears , those can send a morse code .

[macflyfilm]

I hate the premise of this video. Americans are not more innovative then Nigerians, in fact I would say Nigerians are more innovative - given that they have less to work with. India is another example, generally speaking. Sometimes Americans think (and yes, not all of them) they are the centre of the world. You are not. Just so you know. Without you, innovation continues.

[Thunderboy40]

Macfly: go watch/listen to it again, please, starting around 2:00. Try not to epic fail when determining Shirky's "premise" this time. kthxbai

[macflyfilm]

"so ---in this case--- the tech transfer goes in the opposite direction that we think tech transfer goes in". That's just the problem, that thinking is wrong. Not just in this case, but in many cases. The developed world has been learning from the developing world for years. They are far more innovative than us, cause they have to be. Kapeesh!

[dominice112]

Ah, no, as he say (rightly so).. we EXPECT it to be from the "west to the east" or "developed to undeveloped" .. but he acknowledged the fact it was the other way around.

He used the US as an example. If he gave his talk a couple of months later (like, right now), he would have used Iran as well.

Also, he says "Innovation is happening everywhere and moving from one spot to another".

Give him some slack :)

[pddwatch81]

It might also be something to do with the dates of the elections being scheduled so that Nigeria's election happened a few months before the US.

I know, I know that wouldn't make such an interesting lecture.

[terafanatic]

03:12

[marshmarais]

Ha, I wanted to comment that he looks like Tom Hanks. Scrolling down , I see that I'm not the only one that has noticed.

[WOODSYMAN]

LOL! I totally see him as Tom Hanks. Sounds alike and add some hair and he looks alike too.

[SchinTeth]

hehe yeah it really is Tom Hanks playing Clay Shirky

[jerktrucker]

These people are idiots.

These are the people that get jobs as managers ware you work and fuck everything up.

[bumstyla]

isnt that tom hanks?

:)

[dodo309]

it is the same feeling of Tom Hanks :D

[MetalSupra1982]

this is really out dated. hey baldy! your about 5 years late to be talking, you dont deserve to be a ted fellow. yawn. your bore me

[marqujud]

i did sense that too, but i dont have time to put such a nice lecture together. im glad he did it, i was looking for one. esplain to me mr. bald head man what it all means..haha

[Smataba]

another good example would be the revolution organized by Moldavian students on twitter to take down the newly elected communist president Voronin

it lasted 4 days..i think but the president didn't quit

[littleoutrage]

Awesome video!

[funnyguise]

the Obama story missed the main point... Govn't officials don't care anymore what the majority wants. They'll do what they want no matter what and you'll let them.

Sad.

Interesting talk, though.

[TehNewV]

2:52 Anyquahre! Cool wquip!

[popaddict]

LOL!

He does that in a few places. Glad I wasn't the only one that noticed :D

[javierenchina]

4 grand parents...2 parents...maybe even a grandparent or two....all their hopes and dreams were with the ONE new child....

[hardcoremya]

*mutter under breath* right

[burgejoe]

It is happening all across YouTube you can no longer make a bullshit video full of dogma lies without a flood of You Tubers challenging you to the truth. Change is here and religion is running scared. This is the technology that will put religion in the fiction section of the library where it belongs.

[burgejoe]

. Religion will fall the same way that Chines controlling propaganda web filters fell. Religion has been looking the wrong way and the truth has pulled the rug out from under them, they have lost their footing and will never recover. Say goodnight, goodnight baby jesus. The sad part is that it has taken 2000 years of technology to overcome a silly superstition.

[kbdkbd99]

Religion is a powerful meme that is capable of adaption.

Uneducated people have no immunity to this meme-complex, and there will always be uneducated people.

[tiagoaoa]

This kind of talks is just so gay.

[hillsad]

11:28 - goose bumps

[lysol92]

that was one of the most informative and interesting talks yet. I like these longer ones

[RubiconJohn]

yeah the first time in history that the slaves have chosen thier own shackles.

[BrutticusForce]

you completely missed the point of the talk. The point is now everything is ubiquitous ad global. There are no slaves because everyone can be heard.

[TehNewV]

not really, real slaves dont have access to computers n shit. goddamn. In theory, if every had cell phones n shit...then yeah, there probably wouldnt, but phones arent built into everyone's body(yet, thats something else to worry about), haha, so thr.

[popaddict]

Brilliant talk.

We really are living in a 'digitally connected age' Its quite exciting to think about how 'connected' we are as people living on the same planet.

[DaVeej]

He doesn't talk about Facebook.

[GremTheBeliever]

this talk makes me bitter sad i wanna work in advertising...no more proffesionals=me without a job...i wanna see the world upgrade but the world needs guide lines.the network is big but still full of rednecks.

[StevewithUnited]

This wont bring an end to advertising. Quite the contrary. It will fractionalize and segment markets. Mass media marketing will no longer work because we wont all be watching the same things anymore. But professionals with a knack on targeting vertical markets will do very well. The need for advertising professionals will only rise for the foreseeable future.

[marqujud]

not only that, but computers are used to track us now, habits, likes,age,hobbies computers generate individual specific advertisement in seconds. i guess this is where all our private information that we so freely inform comes into play.

[WhiteTiger333]

An excellent talk!  It isn't so much that he gave new information, it's that he presented the information in such a creative-provoking manner.

I, too, have been following what's going on in Iran right now on the Internet. Clay is pointing out that "majority rules" is getting fresh life and power from how we communicate now.

Hehe, now we all need to remember to use our new power well and with respect. ;)

[mbommari]

Twitter is making monumental news right now.

It is the only source of info for the Iran revolution happening now.

[stephenetienne]

This talk was much better than I thought it was going to be when it started out.  He seemed pretty self-important and smug at the beginning, and he was all the way through, but he actually had something to say and wasn't just up there for his own notoriety.

[RustyCyler]

right

[gotilk]

right

[RustyCyler]

right

[gotilk]

right

[41566118]

omg.. his ears xD

[planetoperator]

the world revolution continues....

[xXAkridXx]

Damn Chinese gov, how hard is it to just do what's right? It would be easier to hold some people accountable than to censor everyone.

[ChrisSketch]

Are you at all familiar with the history of the current Chinese regime? "Doing what's right" isn't really their thing. Its "Do what we tell you to do, or we'll kill you."

[projectrok]

i agree, which is why i lack some pride in being chinese. example of of "Do what we tell you to do, or we'll kill you." -> Tiananmen Square protests

[marqujud]

dont loose your pride. be proud of all those in China who challenge their government for the betterment of their people .

[xXAkridXx]

I guess they just like being evil.

[mooxim]

I think it's interesting that Obama censored the comments on his youtube account and mccain didn't during their campaigning.

[xXAkridXx]

Sounds like Obama was better at PR.

[Doomsetter]

Keep in mind, it was the people working for Obama, not Obama himself. I agree with you though.

[86kinky86]

nothing new, but he's a good talker

[6stringbadger]

Inspirational.

[Airave]

Clay Shirky reminds me of Jay Sankey

in several ways, right. Linguistically

and otherwise, right. But that is cool, right.

Lot of cool info and ideas, right.

[GrimSoul66]

Media is increasingly less just a source of information and increasingly more a site of coordination. Good shit.

[thelastminuteblog]

Great stuff as usual!

[mokkshaa]

Note to Clay: The word media is plural. PLURAL.

Otherwise, good talk.

[Ikhalis]

Holy fucking grammar patrol! Thing is, Media has primarily been used as a singular noun for 90 years now. I think there are bigger pet peeve words to fight for than this one. Give up on latin references and just go with the flow dude.

[Samsaptaka]

Media is a collective noun. As such, it can legitimately be singular.

[dragonofthedarknight]

So media is a plural and a singular noun?

[Samsaptaka]

Yes.

[leorcc]

08:25

"The 10th one was kittens on a treadmill"

That was funny.

[Iceman22742]

That was quite the talk. Good job.

[Tylonous]

A gift from God? Are you serious?

[666norton420]

it was either tongue in cheek or the ramblings of another crazed theist.....

they're quite abundant here on earth.

;d

[Tylonous]

Heh. Maybe that's the meaning of life. It's just there to see how many ways you can spin your own religion. That's what our species is best at.

[justwatching1980]

the last 5 minutes is worth watching, as a hint about how to use the internet in the new media landscape. In the future, everyone will have their own interconnected social media site. Similar to Facebook, but you'll be able to control it more...

[CliveSinclairZX]

Great talk.

[lvecsey]

perfect. the previous generation (including Dave Letterman) hasn't understood this yet. but the situation was put forth clearly here.

[Radjehuty]

awesome.  I'm so lucky to be alive when the internet became so powerful

[marqujud]

all your knowledge will be outdated if you get to be old. that's how it seems to work.

[chairde]

I am 62 years old and I believe that my knowledge has increased over the years. Understanding, which is the key to knowledge, grows larger in this environment. Basic truths are the core of knowledge. Basic truths do not get outdated. Liberty, freedom, love and compassion are the same as when I was only a child.

[marqujud]

wow thanks for sharing that. i was referring more to technical knowledge, for example computer technologies will become obsolete, althought creative people will find ways to use any knowledge old and new. wisdom never grows old. thanks again!

[IH8WRONGPPL]

lol @ voting in america.... you vote for Globalists either way

[aarondkeogh]

1st!