Clay Shirky

Clay Shirky is an American author and professor of media studies at New York University. He is a prominent writer and speaker on topics related to the media, digital media, technology, and the Internet. His books have been praised by virtually all technological and media scholars, and have been widely discussed in magazines ranging from The New York Times to Wired.

Clay Shirky was born in 1963 in Honolulu, Hawaii. He attended Tulane University, where he obtained a degree in English. After completing his undergrad education, he moved to Queens, New York and got a job as a technical writer. At the same time, he developed a hobby of writing and speaking on topics related to media and technology. His writing career began to take off when he was brought in as a columnist for Personal Computing Magazine.

While exploring new media trends, Shirky began to recognize the potential of the Internet to redefine mass communication and collaboration. In the late nineties and early 2000s, he helped shape the current understanding of social media and how it can be used for collective action. He wrote several books on the topic, including Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations, Cognitive Surplus: Creativity and Generosity in a Connected Age, and Little Rice: Smartphones, Xiaomi and the Chinese Dream.

Clay Shirky is best known for his work on understanding and leveraging the impact of digital media and technology. In his book “Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations”, Shirky uses a combination of anecdotes, personal stories and theoretical research to demonstrate the power of digital media to change the way people interact, collaborate and organize. He posits that the Internet enables individual people to get together and influence their communities in ways that previously weren't possible. By creating online forums, online learning communities, and even online protest movements, individual people can band together and effect change.

In his book “Cognitive Surplus: Creativity and Generosity in a Connected Age”, Shirky takes a look at how digital tools and platforms have created a vast social surplus and how it can be tapped for collective good. He examines how people are taking advantage of networks, tools, and platforms to solve problems, create art, and share knowledge. “Cognitive Surplus” is an excellent resource for anyone trying to understand and leverage the power of digital media and technology.

Shirky’s latest book, “Little Rice: Smartphones, Xiaomi, and the Chinese Dream”, looks at how technology and digital media are influencing the Chinese economy and how companies such as Xiaomi are innovating and competing in a market shifting from low-cost production to high-tech consumer electronics. He looks at the potential to use the Internet and mobile phones to create new markets and generate consumer demand.

Clay Shirky is a highly respected writer, speaker and teacher on all matters related to digital media and technology. He has published several books and has been invited to speak extensively all around the world. Highly recommended for anyone interested in understanding and leveraging the power of digital media and technology.