Changing Society

April 6th, 2008
[ General ]

bees.jpg“When we change the way we communicate, we change society. The tools that a society uses to create and maintain itself are as central to human life as a hive is to bee life. Though the hive is not part of any individual bee, it is part of the colony, both shaped by and shaping the lives of its inhabitants. The hive is a social device, a piece of bee information technology that provides a platform, literally, for the communication and coordination that keeps the colony viable.”

That quote is from the first chapter of Clay Shirky‘s book Here Comes Everybody. Let’s try some simple word replacement here…

“When we change the way we communicate, we change society. The tools that a society uses to create and maintain itself are as central to human life as BrainPark is to work life. Though BrainPark is not part of any individual person, it is part of the work environment, both shaped by and shaping the lives of its people. BrainPark is a social device, a piece of workplace information technology that provides a platform, literally, for the communication and coordination that keeps the organization viable.”

Hmm, not too bad. Ambitious yes…..Thanks Clay….