TEDxHickory, 2014

First of all, the moderator for this edition, Alan Jackson, was a great improvement over the 2013 performance.  Alan moderated; he didn’t put on a different show from what was already going on. 

LOT’s of volunteers.  Good.  Great job.  Impressive.

The theme for the presentation was “Curate and Elevate”.  Not a good beginning. It tells people that they really don’t need to attend this “thing” because it is all going to be either over their heads or beside the point.  Those words don’t REALLY mean anything –  not even to your average sharpie.  It’s a head-scratching, yawn-begetting-page-turner.

Repetitious behavior:  If the presenters constantly call for a show of hands, that process runs aground after the first 3 or 4 do it.  Also, tying the subject of the presentation into a moving personal story can be  impressive once, coincidence twice, “what’s going on here?” third, “Fourth?  What time is it getting to be now?

The constantly moving reel of other shows on the wall to the right of the audience is simply a distraction.  You keep thinking it is going to play a part in the presentation at some point.  But it never does.   An artist might call it a weed, or a distraction.   Doesn’t contribute to the story or subject.  It is a junkie.  Seems to be telling the audience “SOME of these presentations in the past have had some really good spots!”

Lunch.  Chicken or hummus.  Hmmmm.  Imaginative?  In 2013 interesting sandwiches were presented by Hatch Restaurant.  I don’t know who prepared these, and they were OK, but the Hatch presentation was imaginative.  

Best part of these shows is the networking during breaks.  Did not know about the after show snacks and had already scheduled other things.

Watched the Self-Driving Cars with much disbelief, then came to see how it could work.  After it was all over, I was disappointed I couldn't app-up one to go home in.  It seemed to make SO much sense!  Yet, the idea that Nobody would be able to drive a car after about 2027 seems strange to me.  OK perhaps if you live in a big city, but what about the rancher driving across Kansas?  

By the way, I have volunteered to speak at all three of the TEDxHickory events and have not even been  asked to present any of my concepts.  I can definitely understand not being selected, but when my offer receives NO response at all, when nobody on the selection staff even knows what I think is so important to share with other people, then I begin to pick up the smell of books cooking.  I wonder how many others have experienced the same thing and wonder if it is all a game of pretension and preselections. 

So – if you are just looking for a good show on a Saturday, and maybe even how to make Hickory a better town in which to live, then TEDxHickory might be an option.  If you are seriously trying to make a difference in the world, and find other people who are of like-minded nature, then well, maybe you might want to confine your participation to the break periods and look beyond.