Arianna Huffington reports back from the Potlatch at the End of the Universe.
Bursting at the Seams
The Congress Centre, the official hub of the World Economic Forum, has been expanded and renovated, but there is still the feeling of a crowded, buzzing beehive -- especially in the main executive lounge outside the Sanada room where many of the sessions take place. Today, the lounge was so packed -- with people who instead of attending panels and speeches were schmoozing -- there wasn't a seat to be found. So, when I met up with Justin Webb and Sareen Bains, who were interviewing me for the BBC's Today show, we ended up sitting on the floor and doing the interview there. As we sat there, a constant stream of people walked by -- including Jamie Dimon and Larry Summers. I wonder if they thought I was having a 60s moment and had decided to start some sort of Davos sit-in as part of my "doing something about unemployment" drive.
Burnout, Davos-Style
As I said, getting enough sleep isn't the highest priority among Davos participants. It's partly the active, after-hours scene (many of the parties don't even start until 10 or 11), and partly the way lack of sleep has become a sort of virility symbol for many of the world's movers and shakers. In the cult of no sleep, 7 a.m. is the new 9 a.m. Despite the late nights, trying to make a breakfast appointment in Davos is an exercise in sleep deprivation one-upmanship. "Oh, hi Arianna, yeah, 8 is a bit late, but it's fine because that'll give me time to have gotten in a couple of ski runs and a conference call with Moscow first."
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It is good to know that all the pixels that gave their digital lives to rope "Jennifer Aniston"/"bad hair"... "Lady Gaga"/"Blood & Semen"...and "Kings Of Leon"/"Homophobic"/"Glee"...into the same headlines did not live in vain.
5 comments:
I wonder if they thought I was having a 60s moment and had decided to start some sort of Davos sit-in as part of my "doing something about unemployment" drive.
Arianna is having a "doing something about unemployment" drive?
Think of all the places one could put those quote marks. What is she doing, holding a charity ball?
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The Shining City on the Hill has apparently mutated somewhat.
Elitism: it's not what Faux News is telling you it is.
Life's just such a bitch when you're a plutocrat, isn't it?
This was worth checking out from the breadcrumb trail left by you and Blue Gal from the podcast.
Namely, "Potlatch at the end of the rainbow" and Arianna Huffington's $59,000 registration to Davos . . . after which, in a fit of egalitarian cute, she conducts her interview ON THE FLOOR. Yeah, the "book" was even better than the "broadcast."
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