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Suppose you’re thinking of a plate of shrimp
March 30, 2007

Today, a colleague directed my attention to the upcoming New Yorker Conference, a two night/one day "ultimate insider's look at the works in progress that will shape our world, from boardrooms to courtrooms, from biology labs to design studios." Interestingly enough, the conference's subtitle is "2012: Stories from the Near Future."

Apparently the "works" shaping the world of 2012 don't include the end of mankind as we know it. Or the accelerating frequency and intensity of natural disasters. Or the sun.

In fact, it looks like the world of 2012 is all business.

Why, then, that year? Why not 2011, or 2013, or 2020? Their web site doesn't give any reasons, and naturally doesn't mention Mayan prophesy or the raft of 2012 books out there and upcoming. Could it be that New Yorker event planners didn't do their research? Or did they overlook the doomsayers on purpose? I guess when you're offering a sneak peek at the future of ideas for $1,200 a ticket (all inclusive), the idea that there won't be a future maybe isn't such a draw.

Pinchbeck (in 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl) calls this kind of seemingly unrelated synchronous phenomena (ie, my/others' interest in 2012 coinciding with The New Yorker's interest in 2012) an echo of the "cosmic giggle." Character actor Tracey Walter, in the cinema classic Repo Man, called it "the cosmic unconsciousness." He also called it the “lattice of coincidence that lays on top of everything." He also said, in that same speech, "there ain't no difference between a flying saucer and a time machine."

Now that's the kind of insight I'd be looking for at a 2012 conference. Instead, attendees will be hearing from such exciting up-and-comers as Malcolm Gladwell, David Byrne and visual effects pioneer Dennis Muren, who I'm sure are nice too.

So, to whomever can afford it, I hope you enjoy!

But if you want to come with me instead, I'll bet I can get Daniel Pinchbeck, Lawrence E. Joseph, Hwee-Yong Jang and Tracey Walter together for way less than $1,200.

Posted by Marc Schultz on March 30, 2007 | Comments (0)