In "Here Comes Everybody" , Clay Shirky discusses the negative impact mass amateruization has on society, such as once prized professions being downsize by the advancement of technology. Professional specialize in particular field but the development of mass amateruization made that no longer necessarily for certain fields. before mass amateruization a small group of individuals knowing how to do one skill very well was important; now with mass amateruization that same skill can be done by almost everybody adequately. Shirky states "Most professions exist because there is a scarce resource that requires ongoing management" (Shirky 57). The advancement of technology allows a rare commodity to become an everyday gadget in society.
Shirky argues the start of mass amateruization is negative to society. Shirky argues "The loss of professional control will be bad for many of society's core institutions" (Shirky 73). According to Shirky amateruization is bad for all business because a profession is created because society's need. With the increase in technology and society desire to write in the end was of scribes, once treasured, for their rare ability. Shirky quotes " 'Adam Smith, in The Wealth of Nations, pointed out that although water is far more important than diamonds to human life, diamonds are far more expensive, because they are rare' " (Shirky 79). In society what is scarce is also consider a delicacy because of it uniqueness. Shirky suggest the rarity of media professions today will die off like the scribes eventually did.
In Henry Jenkins' "Convergence Culture", he use Heather to explain the benefits of mass amateurization which was not available before. The mass amateurization started a way for the entire world to have a voice. Jenkins states " The largest Harry Potter archive, www.Fictionalley.org, currently hosts more than 30,000 stories and book chapters, including hundreds of completed or partially completed novels ... More than two hundred people are on its unpaid staff, including forty mentors who welcome each new participant individually" (Jenkins 188). Jenkins feels mass amateurization benefits society, allowing a group of people to group together in a way that was once impossible. Instead of the norm of passive viewers were now able to have input with the possible of others responding to our thoughts . With the internet available it created the opportunity to communicate around the world and nourish each others thoughts.
I do believe that some media professions will have to change the way they do business. Eventually media professionals will have to adjust their careers to the internet. As we discussed in class I do believe that newspapers in print form will become a rare commodity. While newspapers will have to make changes in the way they do things, it will for the most part stay the same where journalist and even readers can contribute to the online newspaper. This suggest that the way the world is will be changing to accommodate to what the internet has to offer, both to the professionals and the audience.
Despite the disagreement Shirky and Jenkins both can agree that a change is coming. From the change not only with it be writers with the back up of newspapers but bloggers as well. Media professionals will blend with amateurization; having the audience become the performer. For example Francheska (aka HeyFranHey) a blogger, does not only blog but sometimes write an article for Carol's Daughter. While Carol's Daughter is not a newspapers, this does represents how society is already starting to change by having bloggers become the writers. The shift that Shirky dislikes and Jenkins is embracing, is already happening where you the blogger (facebooker, Twitterer, etc) can be feature in today paper.
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