TED and optimism

I’ve never really given TED much thought until this year. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like TED-hype is everywhere. Virginia Postrel was there of course, and notes:

On the last day, curator Chris Anderson addressed critics* who complained that the conference was ignoring the global economic crisis. His main point was to maintain long-term perspective, arguing–with a Keynes quote–that TED engages the ideas that create a better future once the gyrations of the moment are over.

Postrel has a pretty good comeback on that. But I bring this up because I wonder if, critics aside, the optimism isn’t exactly the reason that there’s so much TED-mania, online at least. Enough with the grim economic numbers! Let’s groove on some cockeyed optimism about creativity and technlogy! Let’s get inspired!

That kind of thing.

[*Update: Here‘s what he said.]