Cross-posted from infoneeds.org

In opening remarks, Alberto Ibarügen cites Clay Shirky’s argument for cognitive surplus. Shirkey believes that new technologies enable collaboration, take advantage of ‘spare’ brainpower and can change the way society works.

He argues that the time Americans once spent watching television has been redirected toward activities that are less about consuming and more about engaging’from Flickr and Facebook to powerful forms of online political action.) And these efforts aren’t fueled by external rewards but by intrinsic motivation’the joy of doing something for its own sake.

As a route towards action, rather than an escape from it, technology and media have never looked more potent than they do today. This is a big idea for community foundations. Perhaps the most amazing fact about Knight’s incisive initiative for building a better world is this: it’s just possible that everything Alberto promises may be true.

Video of Shirkey: http://www.ted.com/talks/clay_shirky_how_cognitive_surplus_will_change_the_world.html

Clay’s blog: http://www.shirky.com/weblog/ A post from the 2011 Media Learning Seminar. At Knight Foundation’s Media Learning Seminar, community and place-based foundation leaders meet with journalism and technology experts to explore the topic of community information needs. Follow the event on Twitter at #infoneeds and @knightfdn.