The Power of Ordinary People: Insights from Clay Shirky's Here Comes Everybody

Modern technology is transforming the social landscape of our world. Social media enables widespread collaboration and collective action that was impossible just a few years ago. For a long time, we have depended on hierarchical management structures and large institutions in order to accomplish tasks of global significance. Now, however, ordinary people with access to a computer and the Internet are able to publish their opinions and have their voices heard. When many people interact online despite geographic separation, those opinions become palpable. The advances in technology did not create those opinions; it enabled them to be seen. As social technology continues to permeate our society, we see the need for traditional organizations to adapt. The thoughts of ordinary people throughout the world can no longer be ignored, because increasingly complex and important projects are being carried out without the financial and managerial backing of traditional institutions. Considered individually, the actions of one person may not seem important, but taken collectively, the influence of a group of like-minded people can literally change the world.