Shirky versus Keen

It doesn't take long for one to see the dichotomy between these two. Like most topics one can see the extremes on both sides of the issue. I generally like to look at the extremes on any topic and then seek to find balance somewhere in the middle. That is not to say "straight" down the middle, maybe that is not even possible, but rather average out somewhere in the middle. Therefore, when looking at the views of Shirky and Keen, there are areas where I lean one way and areas where I lean the other. However, I lean more towards Shirky as a proponent of using the technologies that Shirky seems to be for and Keen is adamantly against.

I will not spent time rehashing Shirky's views as we all just read his book and have blogged and discussed it. However, it is clear that Shirky covers the positive aspect of evolving technologies and the exciting new ways that they are being used in society. Shirky even seems to make a concerted effort to dispel the concerns about gatekeepers of information and the possible extinction of traditional sources for information. He feels that society will police the information and maybe it will result in more gatekeepers that will ensure even more that the correct information can be obtained.

Conversely, Keen sounds the alarms...The Internet is EVIL! Run for your lives! The monkeys are taking over! No more experts and cultural gatekeepers! Keen says, "the mainstream media is being replaced by a personalized one...rather than seeking the news we BECOME the news, information, and culture." (p. 7). So he seems to think that the gatekeepers are being overtaken and the gate is wide open for people to share and broadcast themselves and their views. Now the monkeys are "authoring the future" (p. 9). and are making it up with no policing, guidance, or wisdom. No professional editors providing evaluation of material and content, just "amateurs gone wild" or in some cases elaborate conspiracies by special interest groups creating their own view of the truth. So that "one person's truth becomes as a "true" as anyone else's." (p. 17). Will today's "Y" generation be able to discern what is good and reliable information? I can understand some of his points and for example agree that some of YouTube is worthless. However, as with anything else, are we going to only focus on potential negatives and do away with something that can also be used for good? An all or nothing approach? People have car wrecks and get killed, therefore cars are evil...therefore, do not get into a car! To me his overall logic is quite flawed, even though he makes some good points and certainly establishes some things to consider.

Well, I decided that I would beat Lila to posting a video from YouTube about Keen. It is an hour long and apparently from a book tour in 2007 for his book (the cult of the amateur) that we are reading. Interestingly, it is presented by "Authors @ Google"...maybe they didn't read the parts where he was bashing Google. I also wanted to post it because he seems to really hate YouTube and I find it interesting that he is now there! so Google presents him, he is on YouTube, and I have blogged about him...I feel like a monkey...okay maybe not!