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TED: These sour grapes taste terrible

Started by mathewi · 1 year ago

I’ve been debating whether to write this post or not for awhile, and eventually I figured what the hell — like Sarah Lacy of BusinessWeek, whose piece on TED helped to spark this post, I’m not likely to get invited to TED anyway, and even if I was I couldn ... Continue reading »

13 comments

  • JoeDuck

    1 year ago

    Yes. Matt I think you've spoken - literally - for an enormous number of us who are conflicted about how TED is both a showcase and watering hole for some of the sharpest people and ideas on earth and also a den of elitist nonsense.

    I think your criticism here in nuanced enough that you won't be crossed off the prospective list, so if you ever get to go remember to secretly live blog "off the record" stuff and make us all proud.

    My concerns are deeper about TED. I think the sensibilities of the TED crowd are not even remotely representative of those of most of the world, and therefore many great minds wind up innovating in the wrong direction or sideways.

    I do want to applaud TED for opening up a lot over the past few years via videos and blogging. At least "the rest of us" can now see part of what's going on behind the curtain. And any conference with Marissa Mayer has GOT to be worthwhile.
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  • mathewi

    1 year ago

    Thanks, Joe.


    On Sat, Mar 1, 2008 at 2:01 PM, Disqus
    reply
  • NitinK

    1 year ago

    Mathew: I agree that TED seems incredibly elitist - but at least they're fairly open and transparent about it. I imagine there must be other invite-only organizations for the "elite" that I don't even know about. (Does that sound paranoid?)

    Having said that, I'm really thrilled that the TED folks are making many of the speakers' presentations public - the TED videos provide incredibly high-quality ideas from some of the leading thinkers of our time., and they're open to all.

    As an example, I've highlighted the following video of Sir Ken Robinson's presentation on my blog - it's pretty thought-provoking, and there are many other videos equally worthy:
    Sir Ken Robinson on Creativity and Education
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  • mathewi

    1 year ago

    You are quite right about the videos, NitinK -- many of them are excellent.


    On Sat, Mar 1, 2008 at 2:18 PM, Disqus
    reply
  • michael webster

    1 year ago

    Didn't Groucho Marx have the same complaint?
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  • mathewi

    1 year ago

    Indeed.


    On Sat, Mar 1, 2008 at 4:09 PM, Disqus
    reply
  • Tish Grier

    1 year ago

    I've been catching up on all the TED scuttlebutt--including your post--and what I found most odd and out of touch was the panel with Queen Noor and Sergy Brin, where "court jester" Robin Williams came out and made the joke about bad connectivity at Web 2.0 cons....

    oh how amusing! (and a really *old* joke among web2.0 peeps...)

    One of that panel's concerns was that "the masses" are "confused" by the new media landscape. But, since working with both NewsTrust and Placeblogger, where I'm seeing and hearing lots of the voices of the masses, I'm thinking more that it's the elites that are confused. Maybe that's really what's going on at TED and why lots of folks aren't getting invited.
    reply
  • reader

    1 year ago

    Hey Matt,

    In case you want to see what you missed.

    http://www.portfolio.com/guides/Ted-Conference/...
    reply
  • Stephe

    1 year ago

    In reviewing the complete list I didn't see a heck of a lot of Canadians - and some left me scratching my head - an elite physiotherapist?

    In any case between the video and Austin's twitter updates I kinda feel like I'm there... without the attitude.
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  • Stephe

    1 year ago

    Correction... not a lot of video posted - yet.
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  • Leigh

    1 year ago

    Kate (of iamkate) asked me if i was going and I said no, having not realized that in fact, one had to be "invited". Technology circles continue to remind me of grade 7. Sigh. If I could only go the super cool party of popular girl A or B.

    Oh and Mathew, I'm sure Paul could pull a few strings for you and get you a ticket. Personally, I'd rather put up with the financial elitism of IDEAS city where as long as you can pay, you can play, here in the great white north :)
    reply
  • mitchjoel

    1 year ago

    Hey Matthew. I attended TED. I loved it. I attend tons of conferences (as you know) - both as a speaker and attendee. This was, by far and away, the best experience I've ever had, and would not hesitate to go back next year (and the year's after). I'm sure the price is prohibitive for some, and I can understand that... I think TED does too, and that's why they release so much to the public via TED Talks and more. There are plenty of other conference (that cost only a little less) that offer nothing.

    My feelings about TED are very opposite to yours.
    reply
  • mathewi

    1 year ago

    Thanks, Mitch. I'm not sure I would say that our feelings on TED are
    opposites -- I have no doubt that if I were to go, I would probably
    enjoy it as much as you did. My point was more about the elitism
    aspect of it -- although as you noted, TED does release a lot of
    material for free as well. So I would probably describe my feelings on
    the conference as "mixed."
    reply

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