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I got a couple of TEDx invites but never did one. Kinda glad now. I liked a few talks but overall the CIC triggered my bs detector too much. It was a sort of high-grading scam. A few quality talks like say Hans Rosling, and the rest would BIRG. Mostly ideas not worth spreading.
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This sort of headline reflects a continuing TED era hangover. You do *not* want to lead with an appeal to “expert” authority in 2022 if you want to be taken seriously. You lead with the substance.
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There’s a whole new post-Weirding set of emerging norms on what actually establishes grand-narrative credibility. It’s still possible, but credentials, marquee gloss and circle-jerk self-congratulation by clubby academics and mutually certified experts ain’t it.
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There’s an interesting emerging pattern of having a substantial big idea AND an instinct for tapping into a live zeitgeist current without degenerating into populist clickbaiting that seems to work, but can’t immediately think of a great example. Threading that needle is tough.
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The whole cultural industrial complex is now in circular firing squad phase. The Economist did that broadside against McKinsey last week. What next? Atlantic vs TED? New Yorker vs Davos? I’m betting on The Economist being the last one standing, inheriting the ruins of empire.
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I once spoke at an Economist event. Might have been the closest I ever got to Mt. Doom aka Davos. Was fun. Martha Stewart was there, post jail.
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I still see “TEDx speaker” in people’s profiles. Same energy as “3x startup exits” or “investor” with no details 🤔 Feels very 2015
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All conferences had TED-envy then. I spoke at 3-4 events that all in hindsight were taking cues from TED. Learned that I have nothing worthwhile to say in the <20 min range and just end up feeling guilty about the carbon to fly to venues. I don’t do anything under 20min now.
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By 2024 there will be a cozyweb industrial complex. There will be invisible hydra orgs that secretly find a bunch of discords and little meetups that all seem unrelated but are all part of the same underground fever dream. Cthulhu ftaghn!
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