World’s greatest people make wishes, blow out candles at TED conference
The breathtakingly self-aggrandizing and expensive TED Conference is going on right now in Monterey, California. Owned by The Sapling Foundation, a private 501(c)3 nonprofit organization established by Chris Anderson in 1996, TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. With a moniker like that, is it any wonder that it looms large online? It began as a conference to bring together individuals from those three industries. Now, it’s staff members devote themselves to “spreading ideas.” According to the TED website, “the conference brings together the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers.”
Conference goers, limited to a thousand, pay $6,000 per year to be members of the organization and attend the annual conference. However, registering on the website TED.com is free. From there you can see webcasts and video of the speakers.
You can follow the RSS feed of conference goers who are hasshtagging #TED on their Twitter tweets here.
In 2005, the conference began recognizing three individuals who are really the greatest. For their great efforts, they are given a check for $100,000. Nice, sure, but it gets better. The real prize is: they are granted a wish.
Yes, a wish. Not, to my knowledge by a genie or leprechaun, but by their devoted followers.
Tara, at In My Copious Free Time, blogged this year’s Wish Ceremony and speeches.
This is the real power of TED - the TED Prize. Three people are chosen every year and given $100,000 to do with as they wish, but even greater, they are given a wish. This wish is put forth to all of TED, a group of powerful, influential, creative and passionate people who can then take action to make those wishes come true. The resources that can be brought to bear are staggering.
In short, 2008 wishes:
- Dave Eggers wants you to engage with a local public school.
- Neil Turok wants help unlocking and nurturing scientific talent across Africa.
- Karen Armstrong wants people from within the big 3 religions to get along finally.
You know, these are actually pretty inspiring, worthy suggestions (though I’m a little miffed at being left out of Karen’s). So, why all the pomp and circumstance? Why the astronomical price tag?
Previous TED Prizes went to:
2007
Bill Clinton
James Nachtwey
E.O. Wilson
2006
Larry Brilliant
Jehane Noujaim
Cameron Sinclair
2005
Bono
Edward Burtynsky
Robert Fischell
March 1st, 2008 at 10:22 am
I’ve been sitting with the contrast of the wonderful spirit of learning and change here and the incredible privilege and elitism, so I certainly understand the intro to your post. I’m glad that my blog brought the TED Prize to your attention - it is amazing work and deserves a lot of attention so that as many people as possible can get involved and make a difference.
March 1st, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Thanks, Tara, for reading and commenting. I appreciate that a lot of good seems to come out of these conferences, and that attendees are considering the problematic relationship between money, elitism, and TED’s mission.
March 5th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
The BIL Conference was indeed refreshing and I look forward to participating in BIL 2009 @SanDiego.
The challenge will be to keep BIL chaotic, as, in 2010, the VC’s will start showing up.