Aspen Ideas Festival: A Guide to Who Said What at the 2009 Aspen Ideas Festival
Posted on 18. Jul, 2009 by admin in Aspen, Blog, Showcase
In the context of ski town slang, “Go big” is the type of gnarly, half-baked euphemism usually reserved for adrenaline-fueled physical prowess on the slopes or throwing back one more shot-and-a-beer before last call. Yet the Aspen Institute’s annual Ideas Fest elevates the collective IQ of this cliche snow-shredding colloquialism. Every July, a sundry assumable of corporate bigwigs, accomplished cultural icons, foreign diplomats, professors, scholars, experts-in-the-field, and media savvy opinion-makers gather in Aspen to discuss big ideas during a week of cerebral stimulation. On the surface, the overall purpose of this event appears to have ambiguous auspices: a dialogue-driven presentation of original ideas celebrating multiple points of view, often without a common aesthetic thread, in an idyllic alpine setting. Nonetheless, Ideas Fest brings inside-the-Beltway discussions to a town known for absurd affluence and endless recreation. Many audience members willingly dole out big bucks for the opportunity to witness the lively discussions, heated debates, and forums on ambitious umbrella topics dominating national policy discussions like education, clean energy, Darwin, and the future of Middle East policy. These conversations are shepherded by prestigious social, environmental, economic, political, and media power players, with audience members getting an opportunity to mingle and participate by asking questions.
