Why I'm Fed Up with TED

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And yet there's a hierarchy even within TED's confines. I've heard some disturbing stories about people who have gone to TED for years and still are denied a "floor pass" because they aren't important enough. One friend told me of being de-invited to TED after quitting an ostensibly prestigious San Francisco job. "Did I somehow change as a person because my business card changed?" this person asks. You won't get people like this to let you use their names, though, lest they risk being barred from future TEDs.

You will, however, get a unique perspective on TED thanks to the preponderance of attendees who are on the microblogging site Twitter. First off, I have to give props to Twitter founder Evan Williams for making some entries entertaining: "Almost got a bottled water from the bar, but felt bad cuz Al Gore's standing over there…." And I got a kick out of the fake entries here. But most have been predictably starstruck. Just do a search for TED-related sightings of Cameron Diaz. And there's no end to notes about how stirring, or amazing, or mind-blowing each speaker was.

A TED for the Rest of Us

After a torrent of these, I finally snapped. I changed my Facebook status to "Sarah is sick of TED making her feel bad about herself" and Twittered—among other things—that TED was like the guy at a party who talks to you but is looking around to see who is more important. A wave of people direct-messaged me back with similar TED anger, and I got about a dozen new Twitter followers within seconds. Blogger Michael Arrington Twittered: "TED TED TED. I need a filter to remove all this TED crap. or maybe I'll just bail on Twitter for a few days…."

This is a sentiment that goes far beyond sour grapes. I care passionately about many of the change-the-world issues discussed at TED. And I am encouraged that next year, the conference is moving from Monterey, Calif., to a larger, more accommodating venue in Long Beach, where the attendee list will be at least a little larger.

Still, I question whether even the loftiest ideas lose some relevance when they're aired in so rarified an arena. Given how oversold and profitable the conference is, I can't help but wonder whether there's a vulnerability that someone else might exploit. Why not a TED for the rest of us? Imagine: a conference that explores the complex fabric of humanity, while actually allowing it in the door.

Lacy has been a business reporter for 10 years, most recently covering technology for BusinessWeek. Her book, Once You're Lucky, Twice You're Good: The Rebirth of Silicon Valley and the Rise of Web 2.0, will be published by Gotham Books in May, 2008. She is also Silicon Valley host of Yahoo Finance's Tech Ticker.