Wherever you go at SXSW, there you are standing in line. Or watching other people stand in line.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
The challenge with SXSW and events like it is it's so big and overwhelming, it's easy to get lost in the crowd.
At one level, SXSW exemplifies serendipity, because whenever I come, I get these unexpected meetings with people I never knew existed, and you couldn't have planned it. But by making the choice to come to SXSW, I'm increasing the probability of those encounters.
It's not all silliness, as interactive SXSW is filled with aggressive learning, discussing, and a whole lot of futurizing.
One of the ironies of a conference dedicated to all things digital and virtual is that the best ways to connect with people are surprisingly old-school. Social media tools can improve the odds of a serendipitous encounter at SXSW, but old-fashioned hustle, palm-pressing and - above all - creativity go a long way.
There are thousands of people outside the O2 queuing up to see people like Skepta and JME.
Stand-up is the kind of gig that'll show you where you're at.
No matter how young you are, you're too old for SXSW.
It's been my experience that every time I think I know where it's at, it's usually somewhere else.
So many people trip in front of them because they're looking over there or up ahead.
The reality is that SXSW is packed with brilliant entrepreneurs, investors and partners. They're everywhere, zipping back and forth like thousands of atoms. Your chances of colliding with one actually improve just by standing still.