Doing things Quote by Clay Shirky
““This linking together in turn lets us tap our cognitive surplus, the trillion hours a year of free time the educated population of the planet has to spend doing things they care about. In the 20th century, the bulk of that time was spent watching television, but our cognitive surplus is so enormous that diverting even a tiny fraction of time from consumption to participation can create enormous positive effects.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: TED Talk “Cognitive Surplus” by Clay Shirky, 2010
Free time can be redirected from passive consumption to active creation, yielding huge social benefits.
In simple terms: Using spare time for creation helps society.
Key Takeaway
Turn idle moments into collaborative projects.
Themes
digital culture
participation
creativity
Mood
inspirational
optimistic
Type
social
technological
When to use this quote
- online communities
- education
- civic projects
Key Concepts
cognitive surplus
collective intelligence
Questions to Reflect On
- What small action can you take today to contribute?
- How do you prioritize creation over consumption?
A Different Perspective
Not everyone has equal access to tools for participation.
![“[N]ew technology enables new kinds of group-forming.” quote by Clay Shirky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/988/clay-shirky-3364_forming_n-ew-technology-enables-new-kinds-of-gro_57243.jpg)
