Week Eleven

1. Based on the quote from this chapter, ““revolution doesn’t happen when society adopts new technologies--it happens when society adopts new behaviors,” do you agree or disagree? Cite examples to support your position.


New technologies occur in society because people want them and create them. Our society wants change and always strives to be the best at everything especially in the technology department. However, when new technology first appears it takes people awhile to adjust and adapt to the new improvements. In the book Shirky mentions emails in chapter six. When email was first invented no one thought the it would actually replace the postal system. Not only has email replaced the mail, but now people use the phone less as well. There is no need to pick up the phone and call someone when you can instantly send them and email. Email is inexpensive and has instant results that is why people are constantly using email. Yes I do believe with the quote mentioned in the question because when society decided to adopt new behaviors such as email, society grows and adapts to the new behavior. Now email is not only a noun, but it has transpired into a verb by saying that I am emailing someone. Email can be accessed just about anywhere from the computer to a cell phone. 

2. Look deeper into the concept of a “information cascade.” Can you cite an example of where following the actions of others was a sound idea? Where doing so ended up being a poor choice?

Information cascade is when people watch the actions of others and then make the choice to follow their actions. A good example of an information cascade is described in chapter seven by Shirky. Post World War Two in 1989 when small protests broke out in Leipzig, Germany against the German Democratic Republic. The protest size started to grow larger and when the government went to address the problem there were too many people and issues for it to be easily fixed. Later in the year over 400,000 people marched in the streets in Leipzig when the Berlin Wall was torn down. A poor example of an information cascade could be if union workers go on strike from working due to wanting a higher salary or different benefits.