Cognitive Surplus

In this article, Shirky talks about a cognitive surplus.  Cognitive surplus is the free time people have.  Shirky talks about how people waste this time by just watching television or going on the Internet.  Shirky does not believe this is bad, he just thinks we need to take advantage of this cognitive surplus.  This article gives us a new way to look at cognitive surplus and how to use it to benefit our society and ourselves.  He wants us to use television and the Internet to make an impact on others.  At the end of this article Shirky leaves us with the question, “If we carve out a little bit of the cognitive surplus and deploy it here, could we make a good thing happen?” According to Shirky he believes the answer is yes.