In the grand scheme of media transformation, Clay Shirky's public change of heart about the value of the wisdom of the crowd ought not to be measurably significant.
But Shirky, the author and New York University professor, is an influential social media maven, and thus it's important to understand his admission this week that the rhetoric might be wrong --- his included --- on aggregated public opinion as being binding on a government.
Shirky has in the past advocated for public recognition of the wisdom of the crowd online.
It's not automatic, he asserts. In fact, public pressure via the Internet "might just be another implementation layer for special interest groups."
While there is a "net positive" of online campaigning, he notes there needs to be skepticism, too. It's a healthy, candid about-face.
