AfterMath – the Calculus of Conclusions

One of the most valuable elements of my experiences at the festival has been the interactions with the other students.  Aside from being an excellent method of procrastination, it was enlightening to read through the blogs posted to the WIA mother blog. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to participate in this subject—not just for the exceedingly fantastic speakers on offer, but for the talks with the other students, comparison of notes, and exposure to views outside of my own, somewhat narrow, focus over the festival.

I was deeply aggrieved at missing a long term hero, Barry Jones, (not enough seats… why the hell did they put a big ticket like him in the tiny downstairs room?) However, it forced my hand and I saw Hugh Mackay instead, another giant in my personal pantheon. I’d hoped to see Jones so I could name drop the time I dined with him (well, he was in the same room…) and wax lyrical about his 1982 book, Sleepers, Wake: Technology and the future of work. Not only is it a fantastically accurate prediction of the changes we are now seeing in the labour market… ahh… but I have gone on enough, and it is time to draw this to a close.

The notes, ideas and experiences I have gathered over the festival have filled the tank. I’m hard pressed for time as it is, and now a nice chunk of my summer break will need to be set aside to flesh out this blog – if only as a personal record of the incredible inspiration gleaned over such a short time. Sincerely, thank you.