Publish, Filter, Collaborate!

Ok, so for this week we discussed Shirky chapters 4-7. By just looking at the titles, you can guess at what is being discussed in the chapters. The great thing about this book is the ease at which the information can be understood. However, one never knows who understands and who does not. So, we are going to do an experiment and put into action what Shirky describes. This will accomplish three goals:

1) Shirky exemplifies collective action and online collaboration as a tool of our current era. Thus, we should practice this as much as possible in this class.

2) You can help your fellow classmates understand topics that are not fully understand, Publish then Filter.

3) By posting and contributing to the online dialogue you can build your digital portfolio for the class.

This is a trial run. The format can change and be improved. Feel free to offer suggestions that will help you and your classmates learn more effectively and help us all communicate the ideas of Sociology more effectively.

The following is an outline of the class discussion today. I would like you to read through it and make additions to it. You then can fill in sections of the outline, ask or answer questions, and write ideas that come to you from class and/or readings.

Outline:

Review Conflict Theory

Assumptions

Implications

Examples:

Sports Dynasties: Yankees

The Commons

Shirky

Chapter 4: Publish then Filter

Social tools are only interesting once they get boring

What if our class knew what our class knows?

Chapter 5: Motivation and Collaborative Production

Unmanaged division of labor

Power law distribution

Chapter 6: Collective Action and Institutional Challenges

Ordinary online tools become useful for challenging institutions

2002 example of priest pedophiles

Chapter 7: Faster and Faster

Flash Mobs - ability to coordinate through online means

Groups can organize in a matter of hours, days and weeks

Organization is happening faster and faster

Key Terms

Conflict Theory

Unmanaged division of labor

Power law distribution

Collective action

Flash mobs

Example Questions

How has collective action changed with the implentation of online social tools?

What are the impacts of collective action on large institutions?

Why does publishing then filtering lend itself to collaborative production much more in online environments?

Shirky, Chapter 3

Today, the class discussed their individual networks by looking at Facebook representations of networks with one another. The creation of their network came from Touchgraph Photos, an application for Facebook discussed in a previous post.

The Shirky chapter for this week covers the effect of social events on society. For example: Shirky notes that the creation of the printing press created a social event that affected the lives of all people. The Printing Press removed the importance of the scribe and created a society of amateur readers and writers. The profession of the scribe and reading and writing became unnecessary. The same is true of this current era. Online media and tools have created an event that had an effect on all of society. Journalists are becoming obsolete as blogging becomes more and more prevalent. News is no longer defined and owned by corporations and their representative journalists.

Of course, there are many more examples of the spread of "amateur" use of things that once were professionalized. Used car salesman and pawnshops are becoming less important as well with the increased use of online selling sites like eBay and Craig's List. What are some other ways that Shirky's social events can be seen taking place online? Or, how online society is affecting offline society?

Shirky, Chapter 1

Shirky describes how the story of a lost cell phone in a taxi can be used to explain the changing scope of how society and collective action are changing. Ivanna lost her phone on a taxi and Sasha ended up getting it. Ivanna attempted to get the phone back, but she was unable to convince Sasha to return her phone. The pattern of events in which the phone was returned is a very interesting story. You'll have to read the chapter to know exactly what they are. However, the use of online community and the ease of group formation over the past several years has created an environment highly conducive to forming groups and acheiving desired social outcomes. Ivanna was able to use the help of friends and millions of online supporters to get the phone back from Sasha. The lost phone was a rather small thing, but it demonstrates the power of online culture and the power groups have when they are acting collectively together.

We also spent time in class discussing a review for the quiz:

Sociological imagination Descriptive research Research process Operationalization Primary group Group Secondary group Ethnography

Reminders:

1. Don't forget to do the quiz this weekend, it's on blackboard.

2. Vote for the clip of the day for Tuesday.