Run-down TED, day 1: Wow!
Looking at the videos on TED.com, you will soon think ‘that is pretty impressive’. At least, that’s how I felt about today. I have just finished my first real-live TED sessions. Session 1 was based on simulcast; as the main hall, where most TED sessions take place, is rather small, sessions simultaneously take place in a bigger hall on the ground floor and on location in Aspen, Colorado. The 2nd session I witnessed in the main hall.
Today, we first we received the ‘conference bag’. A large bag, unique in its kind and of course made from fully recycled material (recycled bottles, we were told). The bag was stuffed with all sorts of products. Jim Stolze from Aspen, Colorado, gave a full run-down of its contents, although his list lacks the recycled shoes (fill in your size and they will be mailed to your home address), a U2 CD and a CD from the TED 2008 music collection, blue-ray DVD ‘Surf’s Up’ by Sony, and Pangea organic soap (leaving a non-erasable smell in my hotel room).
The first session started at 2pm. My personal highlights included the wonderful stories by anthropologist Wade davis on how different peoples and cultures treat the earth, delivered with great quotes as ‘Western civilization is a major response to minor needs’. Personally I am not a huge fan of meaningless art. But what Chris Jordan showed was astounding. He suggested in his argument that people often don’t see problems because these are not surveyable. Often numbers are too enormous to be interpretable. By using striking images he tries to make problems more lucid.
It is wonderful to experience how passionately, and therefore also often emotionally, people speak. Take Jill Bolte Taylor. She graduated in neurological anatomy and in 1996 she was struck by a stroke. She talks extensively, and later on also very emotionally, about how she lived through this, using her academic knowledge to fit the events with a scientific background. A very impressive account.
Chris Anderson, curator of TED and announcer of all speakers, tells us he has a special speaker in store. And before we know it, physicist Stephen Hawking appears on the screen. Hawking explains briefly some parts of his expanding universe theory and adds some speculations on the existence of life outside our own milky way. This turns out to be a great step to session 2.
As I sit myself down in the main hall at 4pm for session 2 and become acquainted with the person sitting next to me, this turns out to be no one less than Peter Norton (who remembers Norton Commander?). I need to mention I am one of the few unknown people here at TED (unfortunately no one has addressed me on this yet). Microsoft announces her latest software product; the worldwide telescope. Using this software makes it possible to behold different regions of the universe and to request information on them. Indisputably interesting, but it does not have the same effect on me as it does on the speaker (‘I knew this was what’s going to change the future of my kids’). Directly after Hawking physicist Patricia Burchat explains succinctly from what sorts of matter the universe is made of, why the universe is expanding and what sorts of research is being done in this field. As she uses plain examples it doesn’t get too technical and remains interesting for all listeners.
Suddenly PC-Guy walks on stage and starts a story on his very amusing experiences with aliens and rectal probes. After that it’s time for spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. He speaks on the power of breathing. According to his vision, breathing is the source of life and can, when used in the right way, help fight stress, depression and illness.
The 2nd session concludes with a gigantic guitar solo by guitarist Kaki King.
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