TED Reflections.3 World 2.0?

It’s been a long day, and it’s not over yet. My flight was delayed by two hours leaving Aspen, causing me to miss my connection. I’m waiting in Chicago for the next flight home which will put me at home about 2 AM. One thought has been bouncing around in my mind over the last couple days… It seems that TED is rapidly becoming more than a conference (really, a series of conferences with TEDEurope, TEDAfrica, & TEDGlobal). Is TED now a movement to influence and effect change on world social issues? In watching the TED Talks over the last year, and now having attended my first TED Conference, it seems to me that TED is becoming a place where representatives from major (and not-so-major) companies with wealthy individuals discuss new breakthroughs, as well as issues within our society. Via the TED Prizes and other informal conversations, TEDsters are coming together to make significant progress on issues where governments and others have been slow to act or have made little progress. Is this World 2.0 – a catchy phrase for a web-enabled world? A consequence of the Internet Age? A new Age of Collaboration? Regardless, it is exciting times.

Yes, this is a bit philosophical. Maybe one shouldn’t blog when they’re tired… Now my connecting flight is also delayed. Ugh!

NOTE: eman’s views has now moved to emansviews.com. I hope you’ll stop by.

photo by Mr. Kris

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