Back from TAM London

There’s an in-crowd in the skeptic community.  I’m not in it.  That’s one of my main feelings on my return home from TAM London.

The speakers were all interesting and had great messages.

But, the flavor of the event was more seminar than meeting.  Meaning, there wasn’t a lot of interaction with the big guns in the field.  Sure, there was plenty of book signing and hand shaking.  No one I saw refused a photo request.  But, there were also no small group sessions where we that are closer to the grass roots of the skeptic movement could pick the minds and experience of the speakers or even the other delegates about any particular topics.

That would be my suggestion for next year.  The seminars are always interesting, but without some more direct interaction, they are no more informative than watching the event on the DVD.  Plan for this.  Perhaps publish a schedule of events that delegates could sign up to attend on a first come basis when they pay for their entry to the event.  I’d reserve a portion of the seats at these small group sessions for people that pay at the door, so they have a crack at some of them.

More from my notes on TAM London in the coming days.