BIL, An Open, Self-Organizing Alternative to TED

BIL is “an open, self-organizing, emergent, and anarchic science and technology conference” that is an alternative to the $6000 invite-only TED conference. BIL takes place at the El Estero Park Complex in Monterey on March 1st and 2nd, as TED is ending. BIL stands for Biologic Illuminating Learning, but is also a play on BIL & TED, like the film Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, the same way BarCamp is a play on FooCamp from FooBar. Bill Erickson explains how BIL got started.

BIL loves TED. TED is a great place to sit and listen to interesting ideas. Those ideas make it online, and the unwashed masses get to see.

There’s the problem, the unwashed masses don’t get invited to TED. TED is also six-thousand dollars (US$6,000). Which is prohibitively expensive for most people, including a great number of people with good ideas worth spreading. BIL is being created as a free space for people with ideas to come together and spread them.

Our event is self-organizing, emergent, and anarchic. Nobody is in charge. If you want to come just show up. If you’ve got an idea to spread start talking. If someone is saying something good, stop and listen.

See the BIL wiki for more info, including schedule and speakers.