Here Comes Everybody - by Clay Shirky (Paperback)

About the Book

Shirky examines how technology is changing the way humans form groups and exist within them, and the resulting long-term economic and social effects. In this delightfully readable book, practically every page has an insight that will change the way you think about the new era of social media."--Chris Anderson, editor-in-chief of "Wired" Magazine.

Book Synopsis

"A fascinating survey of the digital age . . . An eye-opening paean to possibility." --The Boston Globe

"Mr. Shirky writes cleanly and convincingly about the intersection of technological innovation and social change." --New York Observer

An extraordinary exploration of how technology can empower social and political organizers

For the first time in history, the tools for cooperating on a global scale are not solely in the hands of governments or institutions. The spread of the internet and mobile phones are changing how people come together and get things done--and sparking a revolution that, as Clay Shirky shows, is changing what we do, how we do it, and even who we are. Here, we encounter a whoman who loses her phone and recruits an army of volunteers to get it back from the person who stole it. A dissatisfied airline passenger who spawns a national movement by taking her case to the web. And a handful of kids in Belarus who create a political protest that the state is powerless to stop. Here Comes Everybody is a revelatory examination of how the wildfirelike spread of new forms of social interaction enabled by technology is changing the way humans form groups and exist within them. A revolution in social organization has commenced, and Clay Shirky is its brilliant chronicler.

Review Quotes

"A fascinating survey of the digital age . . . An eye-opening paean to possibility." --The Boston Globe

"Drawing from anthropology, economic theory and keen observation, [Shirky] makes a strong case that new communication tools are making once-impossible forms of group action possible . . . [an] extraordinarily perceptive new book." --Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Mr. Shirky writes cleanly and convincingly about the intersection of technological innovation and social change." --New York Observer

"Clay has long been one of my favorite thinkers on all things Internet--not only is he smart and articulate, but he's one of those people who is able to crystallize the half-formed ideas that I've been trying to piece together into glittering, brilliant insights that make me think, yes, of course, that's how it all works." --Cory Doctorow, co-editor of Boing Boing and author of Overclocked: Stories of the Future Present

"Clear thinking and good writing about big changes." --Stewart Brand

"Clay Shirky may be the finest thinker we have on the Internet revolution, but Here Comes Everybody is more than just a technology book; it's an absorbing guide to the future of society itself. Anyone interested in the vitality and influence of groups of human beings--from knitting circles, to political movements, to multinational corporations-needs to read this book." --Steven Johnson, author of Everything Bad Is Good for You and Emergence

"How do trends emerge and opinions form? The answer used to be something vague about word of mouth, but now it's a highly measurable science, and nobody understands it better than Clay Shirky. In this delightfully readable book, practically every page has an insight that will change the way you think about the new era of social media. Highly recommended." --Chris Anderson, editor-in-chief of Wired Magazine and author of The Long Tail

"In story after story, Clay masterfully makes the connections as to why business, society and our lives continue to be transformed by a world of net- enabled social tools. His pattern-matching skills are second to none." --Ray Ozzie, Microsoft Chief Software Architect

About the Author

Clay Shirky teaches at the Interactive Telecommunications Program at NYU, where he researches the interrelated effects of our social and technological networks. He has consulted with a variety of Fortune 500 companies working on network design, including Nokia, Lego, the BBC, Newscorp, Microsoft, as well as the Library of Congress, the U.S. Navy, and the Libyan government. His writings have appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Times of London, Harvard Business Review, Business 2.0, and Wired, and he is a regular keynote speaker at tech conferences. Mr. Shirky lives in Brooklyn.