Business Week misquote

Wednesday, May 09, 2007 by Dave Winer.

I know you're not supposed to object when a big print pub like Business Week quotes you, but they got it wrong, even when they quoted me verbatim from the web. I didn't think it was possible, but here it is. 

Here's the article, and here's the quote.  

I do not believe "one factor spurring the growth of unconferences is their ability to tap the smarts of the people who usually sit mute in the audience." 

Yet they say I believe that.  

I don't know if they believe it. Or if it's just some short-hand, or empty throwaway words that fill up all Business Week articles. 

Truth be told, most things they call unconferences are not, imho, unconferences, and don't address the question I said they should address. If you determine the schedule ad hoc, but still put speakers in front of a silent group of people, you haven't changed very much, imho. If that's spurring growth, then it's not a good kind of growth.  

Further, I don't think the kind of unconferences I like are actually growing. I know I'm not supposed to say that, but I like to stay grounded in the truth. When I say something is growing, I want that to mean something. So I don't say something is growing when I don't believe it is. 

See below, on The Scientific Method, as it applies to journalism.