I admit to a long-term fascination with the Davos Economic Conference. I imagine myself swanning around with the great and the good of the economic world, even though I imagine that the lunches must consist of the same unseasoned chicken that is served at big conferences the world over. What's more, this can't be the best year to be there, what with the meltdown and all. On the other hand, uniformly gloomy and depressed groups of people have a perversely energizing effect on my mood: when everyone thinks the world is coming to an end and that our sad condition is everlasting, I start thinking that our troubles will soon be behind us.
Other people rumored to be happy:
- Indonesians and turkish manufacturers
- Wind farm investors
- Anti-globalism protestors
- The guys at the local patisserie
David Gross mounted a 72-hour effort to find an optimistic CEO, and was asked whether his name was inscribed in the Book of Life from Revelation, found the Davos attendees to be kind of rude, and caught the Kahneman/Ferguson/Taleb off-the-record/on-the record Q&A.
Arianna Huffington schmoozed, while noting the newly sober attitude of many of the attendees. More at HuffPo's Davos News Page.
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