TED: How cognitive surplus will change the world | Clay Shirky

The transcript discusses the creation and impact of Ushahidi, a platform for crisis mapping, which emerged from a need to track violence in Kenya. It highlights the concept of cognitive surplus, the collective free time and talents of people, and how digital tools enable large-scale collaboration. The text contrasts communal value, like creating lolcats, with civic value, as seen in Ushahidi's societal benefits. It emphasizes designing for generosity and the importance of intrinsic motivation in fostering creativity and social impact.

What was the primary purpose of Ushahidi when it was first developed?

• To map ethnic violence in Kenya

• To track electoral fraud in Mexico

• To provide a platform for blogging

• To monitor snow cleanup in Washington DC

What does the term 'cognitive surplus' refer to?

• The excess of digital technology available

• The abundance of social media platforms

• The surplus of media content in the 20th century

• The combination of free time and talents for collaborative projects

How did the media landscape change from the 20th century to now?

• It shifted from consumption to creation and sharing

• It became more focused on television

• It focused more on print media

• It reduced the number of available media tools

What is the significance of lolcats in the context of participatory culture?

• They are an example of communal value

• They represent the pinnacle of creative work

• They are a distraction from serious projects

• They are a form of civic engagement

What does the study on daycare centers in Haifa illustrate?

• The importance of contractual agreements

• The effectiveness of fines in changing behavior

• The role of technology in education

• The incompatibility of economic and social motivations

What was the impact of introducing a fine in the daycare centers?

• It improved the relationship between parents and teachers

• It had no effect on the number of late pickups

• It increased the number of late pickups

• It reduced the number of late pickups

What is the main difference between communal and civic value?

• Communal value is for society, civic value is for individuals

• Civic value is for society, communal value is for participants

• Both are for individual benefit

• Both are for societal benefit

How can cognitive surplus be used to create civic value?

• By limiting participation to experts

• By reducing the number of collaborative projects

• By supporting and rewarding societal contributions

• By focusing solely on entertainment

What does the phrase 'free cultures get what they celebrate' imply?

• Only serious projects should be celebrated

• Celebrating creativity leads to more creative outputs

• Celebration has no impact on cultural outputs

• Cultures should focus on economic growth

What is the potential of cognitive surplus according to the transcript?

• To increase media consumption

• To limit the spread of information

• To enable large-scale collaborative projects

• To reduce the need for digital tools