TED @Aspen, Day 3 - more wow

I'm exhausted from a very long day of sessions, a late dinner, and now many hours of work in my room, so I'll make this far shorter than it deserves.

TED again provided a wow day. I'm not saying I liked all the presentations, nor that all were equal; neither statement would be true. I also find myself sometimes put off by the sheer number of minutes the conference devotes to promoting the various incarnations and services of itself, as well as by the occasional smarminess of it all.

Despite those things, however, TED does what it aims to do: creates a community of smart, accomplished people; provides great presentations; addresses important questions, big questions; and most of all, makes you think. As I said in a private message to Kyle, I have not been around this much intelligent earnestness since college, and I mean that in all the best ways. I find it thrilling to spend hours contemplating major issues in the company of smart people doing the same.

My other emotional reactions range from feeling inspired to do good in the world, to being determined to produce better art, to battling waves of insecurity and inadequacy.

I'll be back in 2009 and every year thereafter if they'll have me (which, alas, it is likely they will not). I'll try to find a way to get to be a presenter one day.

Wow.