A few weeks ago I became obsessed with the media coverage of the World Economic Forum, better know as DAVOS. I was enthralled by its simple concept of bringing together the most powerful business and political leaders in the world under one roof, to communicate, to share, to listen, and of course, to make deals. A fun fair for the rich and powerful in a ski resort where no attendee skis.
I would love to go to DAVOS to experience what must be an electrifying atmosphere of power and might. Just to be in the same room with what are effectively the rulers of the world and to be in a position to converse with them about where they see the worlds economies going over the next 12 months would no doubt change ones view on how the world really works.
In reality, I will most likely never get to be invited to DAVOS, nor will I ever be in a position to afford the reported €50,000 per ticket price for those who are important enough to be invited but not important enough to get a free ticket. You see this is a billionaires club and mere millionaires who are not key to the development of the world don't get in, so a mere mortal like myself hasn't a chance.
So what then, wait for another year to watch the coverage again, check out their website, not really the same is it... no.
But then I found TED. Have you seen TED? No... you don't know what your missing, because TED is cool. Not only that, its open to everyone, its free to access, its beautiful, its insightful, its funny, its challenging, its informative. Every morning I sit down and have breakfast with TED and every morning I go to work having learned something new.
TED to me is what I imagine DAVOS is like to the lucky exclusive few who get to attend. It opens your mind to different points of view, it allows you to expand your knowledge and understanding of the world we live in and it offers you the opportunity to think outside your "life box" whilst listening to someone describing theirs.
For all the advances in communication technology, we still live in and by the confines of our "life box". This box is filled with every influence we have ever experienced, every lesson we have ever been thought, every aspect of what is considered a "normal way of life" we have observed and adopted as our own daily life routine and every common reaction to local situations, be they emotional, financial or political. TED offers us a window into the life boxes of others. Just like in DAVOS, people come together under one roof to communicate, to share & to listen,
But TED offers so much more, it offers everyone the opportunity to be inspired, to create, to action, to change and it does all this not by being exclusive but by being inclusive. It sets no agenda of must attend events, you decide what talk is of interest to you. TED simply gives you access to the recorded talks, its up to you to listen and make up your own mind as to how you want to react to what you have heard. Maybe it opens your mind, maybe not,
DAVOS will continue to be an exclusive place where the rulers of the world go to discuss future economic growth but TED will continue to be an inclusive place where the people of the world go to discuss personal growth.
