Keynotes

I’ve given keynotes in cities from Aarhus to Zurich, inspiring and delivering every time. Here’s a few of them for consideration for your conference.

“Wow, I was really excited for Falkvinge to speak, but I had no idea it would be that good.” — Rick Waldron

Copyright Regime vs. Civil Liberties — a keynote I’ve given in many venues and in different formats. I explain how the copyright lobby systematically and successfully has worked for dismantling civil liberties to not have to change itself. I’d summarize it with I don’t worry so much about file sharing, it’s here to stay, that’s just a fact of history. But in their lobbied attempts to stop file sharing, politicians are hurting society and our way of life.

Available in video format from OSCON 2007, 15 minutes, or in a little longer version from MySQL User Conference, 40 minutes.

“Falkvinge is like a cross between Gandhi, Churchill, and Mad Max.” — Omaid Hiwaizi

Shelters or Windmills — a keynote first given in Manchester to record industry executives (who went on to say I should be burned at the stake. Yes, really) and then to many others. The focus of the keynote is on how history teaches us that information advantage equals power, and that any technology that levels the playing field — printing press, libraries — has been met with forceful resistance from those with the incumbent information advantage. We are seeing the exact same mechanisms in motion now. The title comes from a Chinese proverb: When the winds of change blow, some people build shelters, and others build windmills.

“Clear, pungent, insightful, and funny. I wish it had been longer – words you rarely hear [about a politician talking]!” — Polly Fiona McDonald

Available as video from Mobile Monday Amsterdam (though the headline is different for this particular video).

Why are you here? – inspirational keynote for internal events within the pirate movement. Puts the pirate parties in historical perspective in comparing to the rise of the liberal, worker, and green movements. Describes the value to the world of uncensored communication between people who could otherwise be coerced into going to war with one another; quite emotional.

Available as video from the Pirate Parties International General Assembly and subtitled into Czech, French, Russian, Spanish, and German.

“Funny, engaging, and makes sense. If only all politicians were like this.” — Charlotte Beckett

Rick’s Story – inspirational keynote with the message that we all have the power to change the world. The keynote starts out with the political message of protest, puts it in historical perspective, then recounts my journey from a few lines in a chat channel to having put people in parliaments. Summarizing, the audience learns that each and every one of us feel a passion to change the world for the better in some aspect, and each of us have the power to make it happen.

“You know a talk hits close to home when people close their laptops to listen to Falkvinge [at a technical conference].” — Jonathan Gottfried

Available as a TED talk for 15 minutes, and in a longer version from JSConf in Arizona for 45 minutes. Generally very appreciated.

It should be noted that all of these are examples. I always customize my presentation for the venue, audience and situation. No two presentations are alike and I can mix and match perspectives and pragmatics to give the most value to your particular audience.

“Perfectly epic and relevant to our interests.” — Brian Leroux

I’m happy to speak at your venue or conference, as long as travel, lodging, and cost coverage (€2,500) are taken care of. Contact me.

For reference, check these sample presentations: