Sep 23 2010
Response to Wealth of Networks
My questions this week focused on how Shirky and Benkler differentiate in their arguments. I asked how, under Shirky’s theory of the power of the group, we are able to police and remain accountable for the information available to us. I think the example we discussed in class today is the best answer to this question. Although with a group effort there is little accountability, there is also little error. Today we discussed Wikipedia vs. Britannica in class. Wikipedia is a site where anyone can post or share or edit. Britannica is a medium that can only be edited by “experts.” It’s almost hard to believe that the two are comparable when it comes to errors of fact. However, Wikipedia can be changed within seconds whereas Britannica takes until the next edition is available.
This means that the group polices the group. An interesting concept. I was wrong in my original overview in thinking that Benkler had more of a focus on the individual. I am able to answer my own question now that I realize that Benkler and Shirky’s arguments coexist not in contradiction to each other, but in cooperation.They obviously take slightly different approaches in their writing styles and formality, but I think they are both trying to make the point that it takes a village to run a website. We are all editors and experts and policemen when it comes to making sure the information available to us is accurate, relevant, and informative.
From discussion and reading I realize that Benkler’s argument was just as group focused as Shirky’s. Both used relevant examples to illustrate how important the group is in the advancement of technology. The opening anecdote in Shirky’s book is the story of a girl who lost her cell phone and was aided by friends, strangers, and the government in an effort to retrieve it. Similarly, Benkler in chapter 10 talks about how contacts and relationships can be strengthened with the advancement of the Internet. If the concern over Internet content is accuracy, we should feel confident that someone somewhere will correct the mistake. The Internet has such a great potential for information, relationships, and networking, all of which relate directly to this group mentality that Shirky and Benkler are pushing for.
I also wondered how the setup of Benkler’s book affected its content. He is for this idea of open source and software sharing. Therefore, he created a book that can be downloaded for free. I think he did this to further illustrate his point and the importance of fueling creativity with creativity. I think someone in class brought up the analogy that “you have to have money to make money.” Likewise, you have to have creativity and information to make creativity and information. The setup of Benkler’s book is a great example of this. People being able to download, forward, and make corrections and edits to his book is precisely the type of marketplace of information we could hope for. And the Internet is the perfect (and maybe one of the only) medium for this to happen.