When Seattle hosted the World’s Fair 50 years ago, people predicted a 2012 full of flying cars and jetpacks.
Of course, that hasn’t happened yet. But speaking to a packed house Thursday night as part of Ignite Seattle, Mayor Mike McGinn made it clear that those same people were correct about at least one thing.
“We can make fun of what they thought the future was, but they got one thing exactly right: That we would be the city of the future by focusing on innovation, science, arts and culture,” McGinn said. “We’ve done that the last 50 years.”
McGinn received some of the loudest cheers of Ignite Seattle 18, the popular series of talks on a wide variety of topics with the motto, “Enlighten us, but make it quick.” Speakers are limited to 20 slides, each auto-advancing every 15 seconds, for a total of five minutes.
The mayor spoke about the city’s now-vibrant innovation, science, arts and culture scene. He also touched on Seattle’s fiber optic network and how the city can advertise dark fiber to the private sector.
“We’re trying to squeeze data through lines that were built for cable and T.V.’s,” he said. “Why don’t we build a big fat data pipe and use cable and T.V. and phone as apps on that data pipe?”
McGinn has already pushed hard to bring fiber optic cable to Pioneer Square, a high-tech hub that historically had been bypassed by the big telecommunications companies. The mayor and University of Washington president Michael Young have also been working together to help improve Internet speeds around the UW community.
McGinn had people laughing after talking about the city’s new “Where’s My Snow Plow” app that allows citizens to figure out where snow plows are. He said it’s an example of how technology can be used to connect the city to its citizens.
“We’re good at pushing information out, but we have to figure out how to listen and interact with you,” he said. “That’s the next generation.”
He stressed the fact that connecting people of different disciplines — arts, tech, science, etc. — is the key to innovation.
“We create places in the community where artists, scientists and entrepreneurs can get together. That fuels our economy,” he said. “It’s not an old vs. new economy. Everyone has to innovate.”
There were nine other inspiring talks, some funny, some serious, all inspirational. My personal favorite was Kristina Anderson’s account of the the Virginia Tech tragedy.
Anderson was a sophomore sitting in the classroom at Virginia Tech where a fellow student took the lives of twelve people directly around her. She was shot three times during the shooting but made a full recovery. Her talk was the most powerful and moving of the night. She retold the day’s event, recounting the details of the horrific day.
“The most basic thing I learned is that life is incredibly short,” Anderson told the crowd. “It doesn’t matter if you get 20, 50, 70 years — all that matters is you appreciating what you have. Appreciate that you get that moment.”
Wow. Most powerful, emotional #Ignite talk I've seen yet. @KoshAnderson story of survival of Virginia Tech shootings was fantastic. #IS18
— Meghan Finley (@Meest) November 9, 2012
Wow–@KoshAnderson is giving a first-hand account of being shot during the Virginia Tech massacre. Really powerful. #is18
— Sol Villarreal (@solv17) November 9, 2012
It's amazing something so powerful can be delivered in 5 minutes. #Is18
— Rob (@robdaemon) November 9, 2012
There were many other great talks. Here is some of the reaction to the event I saw on Twitter.
.@mayormcginn & @KoshAnderson posing together after swapping public speaking tips. #is18 http://t.co/IiTU5fSs
— Sol Villarreal (@solv17) November 9, 2012
Afraid of public speaking? So is @ShaunaCausey but she's #winning at it now. #is18
— Maia (@maiajannele) November 9, 2012
Great job, @ShaunaCausey! Hard to believe you we're once afraid of public speaking #borntospeak #is18
— adam tratt (@adamtr) November 9, 2012
@hobbayi @ignite @thsea Thank you so much! You have no idea how much I've had to work at it. Now I enjoy it though!
— Shauna Causey (@ShaunaCausey) November 9, 2012
Tks @bryanzug @berkun + @ignitesea for the chance to speak tonight – amazing crowd, beautiful stories, made me proud 2 b a Seattleite #is18
— Chris DeVore (@crashdev) November 9, 2012
Fear NOTHING!@! Only failure is not trying. ~ @crashdev #is18
— ~ k2sqrd ~ (@k2sqrd) November 9, 2012
Great talk by @crashdev on why now's the time for big ideas. MT @ignitesea: "Software is the operating system of human progress" #is18
— Sol Villarreal (@solv17) November 9, 2012
Wow. @ignitesea never fails to be one of the best events out there. Funny, smart, brilliant. Next one is Feb 20th. Mark it down. #IS18
— Meghan Finley (@Meest) November 9, 2012
#is18 one tonight's highlights: getting a signed copy of 'The art of explanation' by master video creator @leelefever pic.twitter.com/Az5opJtw
— Paolo Tosolini (@tosolini) November 9, 2012
So glad I went to #ignitesea tonight. Fantastic talks. Love our community. #is18
— Kristin (Eide) Dean (@_KristinDean) November 9, 2012
+1 Amazing! Alex Alviar talks about deaf smile, lip reading, fearlessness MT @Meest How being deaf = #SuperPower. Seriously inspiring. #is18
— ~ k2sqrd ~ (@k2sqrd) November 9, 2012
Just heard about how being deaf is a super power. Seriously inspiring. #IS18
— Meghan Finley (@Meest) November 9, 2012
Give people an invitation to care, feel interested and confident that they can learn. – @leelefever #is18
— Ignite Seattle (@ignitesea) November 9, 2012
Facebook doesn't get it. @shellyshelly spells out why she hates #facebook at #is18. People like her live in 2 worlds at once.
— Ignite Seattle (@ignitesea) November 9, 2012
Jack up your desk. Hoopty Desk! Lift the whole thing, or just the work surface. Stack furniture. @LarrySwanson #is18. Chair on a desk!
— Ignite Seattle (@ignitesea) November 9, 2012
Had so, so, SO much fun hosting @ignitesea tonight @thsea! Want to speak at the next event Feb. 20? Apply at http://t.co/EaVW1cit..
— Monica Guzman (@moniguzman) November 9, 2012
Ignite started in Seattle and has gone on to become a global phenomenon with Ignite events around the world. The next event will be February 20th at Town Hall.