Since the development of the world wide web and social media platforms, our relation to information has changed in profound ways. In the social media era, our attention has become a valuable commodity to the platforms that vie to keep us looking at their sites, and the ads that they host.  

In his brief, provocative book, Stand Out of Our Light, former Google strategist turned philosopher James Williams encourages us to look thoughtfully at this transformation in the information environment and its effect on our lives. What does it cost us to “pay attention,” and who profits? How can we better understand and value this “product” we give away, enriching the owners of digital platforms, to gain our own value for the limited attention we have to give? 

Our three-session book club will feature a session on each of the three sections of the book. Registered participants will receive access to a recorded conversation between Carla Zanoni, Director of the Public Engagement Program at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, and Gardner Main Library Chief Librarian John Beekman prior to the online discussion session. 

Full text of the book as well as an audio book version can be downloaded for free from Cambridge University Press. 

Carla Zanoni is an award-winning journalist, writer, poet and media strategist. Carla heads up the Engagement Journalism program at the Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY and works with publishers and thought leaders on media strategy. She was the first global Audience & Analytics Editor – and first Latina – to be named to the masthead of the Wall Street Journal and served as TED’s first head of audience development. Carla got her start as a community reporter in New York City, working for various publications, including the award-winning hyperlocal DNAinfo New York and Chicago. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Common, Modern Loss, TueNight and many news and literary publications.