My take on Monday’s Power of Networks talk at the ICA.
Some other documentation that I’m aware of:
Mark AM Kramer recorded it!
Blackbeltjones’s notes
Also these people blogged about Shirky’s talk at the RSA on Tuesday:
The Guardian blog
Joshua March
Brian Eno: We are much less informed now than we were in the 60s.
Clay Shirky: We’ve replaced planning with co-ordination.
e.g., ‘txt me when you’re nearby’
Brian Eno: Surely the government is spending millions figuring out online communities, assessing the risks and generally monitoring them.
Me: [chuckle]
Clay Shirky: In high-freedom environments, people use social tools for fun. In low-freedom environments they use them for political action.
Me: This is the stuff that gets me really excited. I’m going to write a dedicated post to do it justice. Watch this space 
Clay Shirky: ‘Everyone knows that everyone knows that everyone knows’ is the key to producing a political movement…
‘Everyone knows’ = well, I know about it at least
‘Everyone knows that everyone knows’ = wow, other people DEFINITELY know it too
‘Everyone knows that everyone knows that everyone knows’ = now it’s in the public domain we’d better do something about it!
Brian Eno: The Microsoft model will fail. The Linux model will succeed.
Clay Shirky: A new corporate law is required. One that follows the creative commons principal that defines groups that are not commercially motivated.
Me: Also, a new approach to the concept of shareholders. Shareholders as taking a creative rather than financial interest somehow perhaps.
Brian Eno: We live in a much more dangerous and oppressive climate than we think. In a few years we will expect for Government to have access to our Facebook profiles.
Me: [more chuckles]
Clay Shirky: ‘Transparent conspiracy’ is a political tool of the future. In other words, you may as well announce collective action on a blog cos the authorities will find out anyway.
Me: Love the phrase ‘transparent conspiracy’.
Clay Shirky: The Masai all carry two things: a spear and a cell phone.
Me: !!!
Both agreed that the BEST thing about the web is it gives people a voice.
Before the mid-late 90s if you wanted to say something in public you couldn’t. There was no voice for the citizen. Now there is. So there.
Re: your redefining Shareholders – have you read ‘Small Is Beautiful’ by EF Schumacher? V. interesting book about creative input into business, written back in the late 60s I think…
Also worth throwing in would be a stake holder vs share holder consideration – that we should equally be considering those affected by a business or venture, not just those invested in it…
Another term from a business point of view that bears consideration is the concept of ’social audit’ – considering the value and impact of a venture in every way except financial…
)
Sx
I am still reflecting on the ICA discussion between bran and Clay. I am looking forward to reading (viewing) the reflections and observations of others. Let us try to keep the discussion going. It need not be a one evening event.
Good summary of the ICA talk.
I’m still trying to find the area of government that has access to facebook profiles (and what they are doing with them)!
J
Damn… Wish I’d been there!