Television to Revolution in one easy step

I've been reading Clay Shirky's book Cognitive surplus: Creativity and generosity in a connected age. In the first chapter he explains that television became popular because it arrived at a time when we had an excess of free time combined with a reduction in social support. Watching television is something you can do alone that relieves feelings of loneliness. It's a social surrogate.

When I stopped watching so much television I started writing more. So of course I had to consider it, but no, writing is not another social surrogate. It seems like it should be; Creating a whole world of people seems like it should fight a little loneliness. But I don't write to pretend, I write to actually connect with other people. Not a character, a real person. The character is just a medium.

In his On Writing Stephen King said that writing is telepathy.

"Here we go—actual telepathy in action. You'll notice I have nothing up my sleeves and that my lips never move. Neither, most likely, do yours.

Look—here's a table covered with a red cloth. On it is a cage the size of a small fish aquarium. In the cage is a white rabbit with a pink nose and pink-rimmed eyes. In its front paws is a carrot-stub upon which it is contentedly munching. On its back, clearly marked in blue ink, is the numeral 8.

Do we see the same thing?"

And more than this, more than transmitting a vision or a speech, is the transmission of ideas. Whether a simple source of comfort (c'mon, there's nothing simple about that) or an inspiration, ideas are powerful. And good ideas can change someone's life. So with writing I'm not trying to escape, I'm trying to change the world.

No pressure though, right?

For the record, Shirky's book is fascinating to me both as a writer and a librarian. I think it's a must-read for anyone trying to understand social information systems, and in this age that's almost every information system.

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Photo: one less tv by Kevin Steele on flickr