Shirkey's Cognitive Surplus

When everybody comes, I want to be there!  I'm looking forward to getting the book by Clay Shirkey that I have read about on many posts, Here Comes Everybody:  The Power of Organizing Without Organizations.  It should be waiting for me when I get home from my work break.  That is a break from doing everyday work, to working on my own professional development.  I've had the time to think, reflect, read, contribute, publish, and formulate ideas that will help guide my decisions in my role as technology director.  

I know I have been guilty myself of wondering where everyone finds the time to make meaningful contributions to their blogs, tweets, websites, video uploads, photo libraries and pod casts.  After watching this short video clip of Clay Shirkey, I realize I was off-track in my thinking.  His talk is about cognitive surplus and relates it to time that in the past was spent on watching TV.  We all need to become more than consumers.  Thought provoking talk.  Take a listen.......

I won't be giving up TV watching but it's a good reminder about the time that can be soaked up in doing so.  He says, "It's better to do something, than nothing."  How many times have you watched an entire show and said to yourself, "why did I just waste my time?!"  I know I have definitely done that and wish I could go back in time.  I wonder if in 10 years from now, I'll be saying the same thing about mindless posts, publications and creations.......or is there not such a thing as mindless.......?