Clay Shirky, a writer, consultant and teacher on the social economic effects of Internet technologies, introduces the term of mass amateurization in his book Here Comes Everybody. He compares it with professionalization, explaining that profession requires specialization, recognition from other professionals and is generally more than just a job (Shirky 57-58). With development and popularization of the Internet, however, people who were known as amateurs before, now have the same access and possibilities as professionals do.
Recently I have experienced mass amateurization
myself. Before when I wrote an essay or a research paper, it was
always just for one person to read, which was the professor in school or college. Different experience happened in my Introduction to Media class, where I had to post my papers on the blog and so did my classmates. All of the sudden, what used to be just an essay read by one person became a post mass available not only to the professor and my classmates, but also to anybody who would come along our blog. This is an example of the mass amateurization Shirky is talking about, where I have the same resources to write, post and share my work as professionals do. Shirky wrote that mass amateurization of publishing is available because of the internet (60). This is an example of the mass amateurization Shirky is talking about, where I have the same resources to write, post and share my work as professionals do. Shirky wrote that mass amateurization of publishing is available because of the internet (60).
Shirky is wondering what will happen when anybody can write by themselves and there is nothing special about writ
ing and publishing anymore. He argues that this leads to a change where the news media will have to write or talk about the story that was introduced into public through different sources (65). He thinks this is a good outcome, because before the editors belonging to the same professional class could agree not to publish a story. Now, however, with the rise of mass amateurization it will be much harder for them to control (65). Shirky emphasizes that now amateur writing and publishing bring people more accurate information and arguments than standard media do (65). Traditional media cover the story basing it on their own views and ownership. Amateurs show the story accurate and raw as it occurred. As Shirky wrote, that if anybody can write, publish and make it globally available in a seconds, then anybody can be a writer, journalist and publisher (71).
New technologies cause social changes (67). In the example of mass amateurization rising in writing and publishing I think it will cause much more competition for the media professionals. They will no longer be unique and looked at as the only source of news. Amateurs will try hard to compete with them and in many cases will probably win. Professionals will have to rethink their position and do a better job. I'm sure there will be a much bigger job competition, but I also hope that better quality of news, writing and publishing will come out of that.
Works cited:
Shirky, Clay. Here comes everybody.
Pictures :
Very cool. This seems like a very clear and concise way of summing up Shirky's points in Here Comes Everybody. The idea of there emerging more and more competition as a result of amateurization is a really neat one. Mixed in with the irate ranters on the web will (and are) people who have down just as much if not more in-depth research into a given topic. Now the real question is, will photographers of the future be wearing diapers? :p
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that taking this class has given many of us our first opportunity to become amateur publishers. Posting on the blog has been a great experience. Our assignments are available to anyone with an Internet connection. We have the opportunity to share our ideas and opinions on the media today.
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