From Innovation to Revolution

http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/67325/malcolm-gladwell-and-clay-shirky/from-innovation-to-revolution

Summary: Do the tools of social media make it possible for protesters to challenge their governments? Malcolm Gladwell argues that there is no evidence that they do; Clay Shirky disagrees.

 

From Innovation to Revolution -  Malcolm Gladwell states that just because innovations in communications technology happen doesn't mean that they make a real difference.  He believes that new communication technologies and social mediums only make a real difference is if they solve a problem that was actually a problem in the first place.  Malcolm isn't ignorant to the fact that some recent protests have used the tools of social media but he doesn't see where that in the absence of social media, those uprisings wouldn't have been possible.  

  Shirky responds to Gladwell's argument that the internet and social media have altered the competitive landscape.  The internet and other communication technologies have enabled insurgents and protesters to play by different rules than incumbents.  Social media has allowed insurgents to adopt new strategies and that those strategies have always been crucial.  Digital networks have eased and increased in range public speech by citizens.  Social mediums have increased the speed and scale of group coordination.