Posted from the US
(This is a mirror of a posting submitted to the World Economic Forum's blog - we'll see if it gets posted)
When I arrived at Davos last year the feeling was one of awe and excitement - these are THE people in the world - but one soon realizes that these giant figures are also just that - people.
A year later some of the "magic on the mountain" has been lost - the Mideast peace process looks like it is far away from the optimism of last year, and world economies are tentative. Even the magic of Google, last year's Davos stars, is fading. As the U.S. government pushes them to a test of wills and concessions are being made to China (guys - please don't fully lose your magic - there is little to go around), one of the few companies leading the way for the 21st century is in a true spiritual struggle.
But some magic is still there - and I have to applaud the World Economic Forum's embrace of blogging. During last year's blogstorm I posted many blogs to this site - some of them directly challenging the Forum and their policies. This year the Forum has responded by a tremendous push of transparency and open gates for blogging for all participants. Yes there are some rules - but for a meeting held in Switzerland, where privacy and secrecy are in the air, the opening of the door is a huge step - a remarkable step. This is a good thing - no doubt. The world leaders and innovators lucky enough to be at Davos can share their thoughts directly with the rest of the world - they can include the general public in what has been a previously closed room.
The Forum's tolerance and transparency in this case should be a model for many govermental organizations - this is the future unfolding here and now. Can the envelope be pushed further - yes - and I hope to be one of those pushing it. But as cynical as many bloggers would like to be about many things, the move to a more open dialogue is a brave one, a somewhat unexpected response, and I hope the Forum stays on this road for a good long while.
It is still sad to see a meeting where the collective membership, if properly organized for just a few hours, could end extreme poverty (maybe that could be in the schedule instead of a cocktail party). I do not mean talk about it - but truly madly agree to end it. All the decision makers are here. There is always next year, but why not this year?
You never know where a blog can go.
-R
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