I've always enjoyed Clay Shirky's work since happening upon an article of his, or an interview perhaps, a few years ago. Some of the criticisms of his work focus on its sometimes evangelising nature, but I'm struck by the insight he brings to his work and his ability to contextualise the argument. Cultural theory, finance, statistics and a liberal democratic impulse infuse his ideas, all of which are on show in this video. It's from the recent 'open weekend' hosted by The Guardian at their King's Place offices. There's a natural fit between Shirky's ideas and what this organisation is trying to achieve, each legitimates the other.
The full interview, with Alan Rusbridger, is an hour long. Watching the whole thing perhaps, or see some of the highlights on the right side of the page:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/video/2012/apr/04/clay-shirky-interview-...
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Image: 'Clay Shirky's new book'
flickr.com/photos/bigyahu/2474955456/