I’m currently reading Clay Shirky‘s new book, “Cognitive Surplus.” It’s a worthwhile read, with some familiar stories tied together nicely along with some jaw-dropping moments of insight and realization. This TED talk does a good job of covering a couple concepts in an engaging way. And while it’s convenient to dismiss experiments like Facebook or Twitter or blogs or lolcats as immature or incomplete in this new “media of generosity,” Shirky reminds us that we had erotic novels 150 years before we got to scientific journals. There’s a long road ahead . . .