Prologue: Orchestrating A Cast of Thousands

Abstract

A curious sight can be observed early on a December morning in the mountain resort town of Davos, Switzerland. There, on a typical workday before the sun rises above the peak of Pischahorn, and with the street noise muffled by fresh snow, one can see a stream of people walking the streets, all in the same direction. The crowd is much larger than one would expect at this hour, especially in a resort town. These people are not dressed to go skiing or hiking; instead they are wearing comfortable sports clothes, dressed warmly enough for the typical cool mountain air of the season. This stream of humanity, coming out of the various hotels, appear wholly unconnected to all the snow that covers the ground. Instead of skis, they are equipped with computer shoulder bags, books, and folders. These men and women give the impression of young professionals and are, apparently, from all over the world. What are all of these hundreds of people doing in the middle of the Swiss Alps, in winter, if not to go skiing? (Exhibit 1.1)