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Meeting of the Minds in Los Angeles

What do an escape artist, a futurist, and an adult film star all have a common? It's an unfair question, really, unless you're in the Los Angeles area and have a little bit of nerd in you. So don't try to wrack your brain. The answer is: all three have shared what they know at a Mindshare event.


Photo of Mindshare by Jake Ogle Intriguingly billed as "Enlightened Debauchery," Mindshare is a monthly gathering of curious minds in Los Angeles. In between mingling and music, each event features a handful of short presentations from dynamic thinkers in fields ranging from art to technology. I like to think of Mindshare as akin to one my favorite mashup songs, Girltalk's "Touch 2 Feel", showcasing the different flavors of Sean Paul, CeCe Peniston, and Human League, to name a few. Doug Campbell, one of its founders, likens the experience to one of my favorite snacks. "I call this the 'Chocolate Covered-Pretzel Effect,'" he says. "Just like the candied treat keeps your taste buds guessing, 'Sweet, crunchy, SALTY! WHOA!', Mindshare offers the brain a similar experience!"

Campbell is one half of the elegantly clad duo who I had the pleasure of interviewing for our Tuxedo Travels podcast a year ago. Along with fellow alums from Art Center College of Design, California Institute of Technology, Claremont Colleges, Rhode Island School of Design, and Stanford University, Campbell began Mindshare as a way to highlight our interconnectedness and encourage new ideas. "It's paramount that we, as intelligent humans, remain curious and excited about our existence. It's Mindshare's aim to offer a forum to inspire that energy while simultaneously fostering and enriching our local community," he says. "I'm inspired by trying to connect the people with questions to the people with answers." Besides gaining knowledge about the evolution of color, for example, or nodding your head to beats from an Indian tabla, you can also chow down on food and drink.

I watch TED videos all of the time and it's cool to know that I can find a similar event that's hipper, less exclusive and, well, more fun. And of course, reasonably priced. Sure, the folks over at Mindshare are still ironing out a few logistical and programming kinks. But with Campbell as one of its organizers—who had me laughing almost the whole time during our interview—it's a safe bet to say Mindshare is a good, not to mention, enlightening time. For me, the potential to positively impact the world from such a convergence of minds is enormous.

Mindshare is held every third Thursday of the month. If you want to present or attend, sponsor the event, help spread the word, or start one in your own area, contact Doug through the Mindshare.la website..

This post is by Celeste, who recently wrote about keeping tabs on politicians.