The book I chose was Cognitive Surplus by Clay Shirky.
1) General Theme
The general theme of this book was that the time we are able to do what we want, leisure time, can be dedicated to many different things. Recently, there has been a larger potential for this time to be considered more “productive” and breeds creativity due to interactive online media that connects us all globally.
2) How this book connects with and enhances ENT 3003
In my opinion, this book connects with ENT 3003 by promoting the idea of self-interest driven productivity and creativity. This class has expanded my understanding of what I find to be interesting and important, making the work revolving around those topics easier to complete and ultimately making me want to dedicate more time to it. Similarly, the book promotes the idea that free time spent on doing something productive, yet still about something you want to learn or share about, is still considered leisure.
3) Exercise I would create for this class
I would create an exercise that is a powerpoint, separate from our product/idea, that is just about a topic you are passionate about. The student would record their presentation along with submitting the actual presentation. I think this would allow students to put in productive and creative work into a topic they are already passionate about, yet haven’t been given the opportunity to research for a class because it is considered a “leisure” topic. Whether it is that Hairspray is the best movie of all time or that ghosts are real or their new theory for astrophysics, I think it is important for students to be able to present on something they are passionate about even if it doesn’t seem “productive.”
4) My “Aha” Moment
The moment that made me really think about my life was when Shirky outlines the other projects that could be undertaken in just a small percentage of the time people dedicate to watching television. It gave me a bit of a sinking feeling, the feeling that I could be doing projects that make me happy and productive. I actually watched videos learning how to paint and draw after reading this book, something I have always wanted to do but have never dedicated time to before.
Hey Nicole, I haven’t read that book yet but it seems like a very good read. I particularly enjoyed your aha moment as television does take a lot of our time without us realizing it and it is something I have been trying to work on myself. I believe it’s good when limited to a few hours a week but it could become a bad habit and happens to be pretty addicting. Great work!
ReplyDeleteHey there Nicole, I personally did not choose this book for my assignment but I am definitely intrigued by the concept highlighted in your general theme section. I also like how you organized the post and went into detail about the specific themes explored along with the ones that intrigued you the most. I also really enjoyed your exercise you would create for the class. Cheers!
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