- What was the general theme or argument of the book?
- The general theme and argument of the book, Cognitive Surplus, by Clay Shirky is that back in the day, people would typically spend a lot of their time watching television. In today's day, instead of television, people are now consuming their day to day lives on social media sources. Unlike television, you can carry your smart phone with you and can be more active on social media which is why I believe that it has taken it over. Cognitive Surplus taught me and made me realize that there is more to life than constantly checking social media and seeing what is going on in the world.
- How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT 3003?
- I think that Cognitive Surplus made me realize that you cannot continue to focus on what everyone else in the world is doing with their lives. On social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat, you are able to see all of those traits. To connect it to ENT 3003, in my opinion, entrepreneurs are more productive and active when focusing on what THEIR next move is going to be and THEIR next idea is. While you are wasting your time on social media that time could cost you and wind up being someone else's idea that could possibly turn into a huge profit.
- If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve?
- If I had to design an exercise for this class based on Cognitive Surplus, I would have students do research on rates of how long people use their social media for and see the side effects that they get. These side effects can consist of depression, anxiety, along with obesity. I feel that if people did not watch as much television or use as much social media, they would feel generally healthier in their mental mind along with their physical self.
- What was your biggest surprise or 'aha' moment when reading the book? In other words, what did you learn that differed most from your expectations?
- The biggest surprise to me were the statistics that were brought into this book. I was totally unaware of how many people were using smartphones along with how much television people used to watch and still watch. Obviously most people today use smartphones but to actually think about how many people that is blows my mind. Thinking of smartphones makes me also think how many products and chances are missed out on just because someone is staring at their phone curious as to what someone else is doing or what they have to say.
Friday, March 23, 2018
21A – Reading Reflection No. 2
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I think this book is very true with what it preaches. I like that you focused on the fact that people need to worry about themselves more and waste less time seeing what other people are doing. I think bringing forth the side effects is very powerful. Personally, I have found myself feeling a lot better about my phone usage by turning off all app notifications and badges except for my calendar, phone calls, and texts
ReplyDeleteHI there! You are not in my group but those who are have not yet posted their Reading Reflection. I did not want to miss the comment deadline so I chose yours. When I opened the directory what stood out to me is that you are in (or from) Long Island NY. My dads family lives there and I am going to visit in July. Anyway, I can definitely agree with this book you have read. I do believe that people are spending way to much time on social media. Everyone is always so concerned with what others are doing they are not enjoying their own life and getting out in the world. I also think that it causes depression and makes teenagers want things they don't have and be someone they are not. Overall you did a great job on your post. I think this is a book I would like to read, may have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteI think this was a good insight to the book and also into the realities of our world today. I did not read this book, however I might after reading your interesting take on it. In my opinion, I never actively considered the shift from couch activities such as watching to TV to more of a hand held mindless form of entertainment such as snap-chat on your phone which you can do while out and about. I think a huge part of this books success has to be the statistics that you mentioned were used. To fully convince the public of what is going on, there must be statistical significance to your argument.
ReplyDeleteI think you’ve done a great job on summarizing the book to a concise enough post for us to understand. I like how you emphasized the way it relates to the class and it’s impact on your learning moving forward. I also found your proposed exercise for the reading to be pretty interesting and would like to see it implemented in future classes.
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