Reality not an Abstraction

Davos this year was a least as much about doing things rather than talking about things. Over its several decades of life. Davos has been a place to have a good conversation about things. And over time the conversation got both wider and deepr. That long history served it well this year when it served a new function. At Davos this year the convesation was not an abstraction of the real world in order reflect upon it and understand it. It ws the real world. Real conversatons intended to enable colaboration among governments, companies, NGOs were actually playing out in real time. The rest of us were there to inform and facllitate that conversation. There is no where else on Earth where the nearly full range of actors can be brought to the table. Gordon Brown commented on it. The World Economc Forum has become an actor in the game. I must say this year it felt more serious as a result. It was not merely a sense of dread, but of serosness of purpose.