In this speech transcript from 2008, Clay Shirky discusses the concept of cognitive surplus, or the excess free time that emerged with the rise of television in the 20th century. He compares this surplus to the societal dependence on gin during the industrial revolution and argues that we are now starting to see the cognitive surplus as an asset rather than a crisis. Shirky emphasizes the importance of participation and sharing in the digital age, highlighting the potential for even small changes to have significant ramifications. Overall, he believes that society is experiencing a one-way change in how we consume and produce media.
https://gist.github.com/jm3/6724931