Cognitive Surplus by Clay Shirkey

I waited for months for this book to be available from UB's library, and it did not disappoint. I was first introduced to Clay Shirky's work in my "Machine Culture" class in sophomore year. It was in the Digital Media Studies department and explored the intersections and interactions between machines, society, and culture, and it was probably my favorite class that I have ever taken.

"Cognitive surplus" is the free time and energy that each indivdual possess each day as a result of labor-saving devices and systems. Cars and planes decrease the time necessary for travel, washing machines and dishwasher free up time that would otherwise have been spent scrubbing... Most people have hours of free time on their hands every day because of things like these, but before widespread use of the internet most of this time was spent "consuming," watching television of movies, reading books or magazine articles, because normal people did not have access to the tools and distribution channels necessary to create. But all of that has changed, and Cognitive Surplus explores the world that this drastic change in paradigm makes possible. From Wikipedia and open-source software, to fan-subbing and fan-dubbing Japanese Anime communities, to the FoldIt protein game, the connectivity made possible by the internet has ripped the power of creation from the hands of the few and put it into the hands of the many.

This really showed me that anyone can be a designer now. Blender is completely free, and internet-order 3D printing is incredibly affordable- often around $100. Better yet, a MakerBot open source 3D printer is only around $1,500. Websites like Thingverse share the data files needed to print household objects such as cookie cutters, tape dispensers, toys, ornaments, jewelry: anything imaginable. It will be increasingly important for designers in the commercial realm to remember that they are no longer the only ones with access to the tools of creation and distribution.