On Ego, On Hierachies, On 'Good Flat'

While many of the more traditional blogger, social media and Web 2.0 faces were spotted at Gnomedex 6.0, 'real people' showed up to learn how new tools could help them, including a woman who is in the mortgage business.

She made a point of praising the industry, but also felt like the conversation has been more about ego trying to win ego....and then repeated, tell me more about what you're doing for people like me? Hear Hear girl.

So many technology conferences repeat this pattern. Having said that, Gnomedex has been refreshing on so many levels, because while ego may never get out of the way, we're seeing a lot of innovation and the discussion here has felt 'alive.' Rules are broken and there's more energy on-and-off the stage.

I really like Ethan Kaplan's summary here:

"If you’re to run a tech conference, there should not be hierarchies of access and influence imposed. Spatializing the social nature of the Internet implies also spatializing its open-ness. Otherwise you’re subjugating the social strata of Internet communication underneath traditional castes of the ins and outs. It’s not fun, and its quite stupid and pompous.

Gnomdex was refreshing because it was a flat conference. In fact, lets just call it a discussion. It was the right size, was open, frank and honest in its intention and never avoided confrontation for the sake of control. I got more out of it than the other two conferences combined."

Tag: Gnomedex
Tag: Gnomedex 2006