Al Gore electrifies Web 2.0 Summit

>> applause Great, thank you very much, thank you very much. Wow, that's an unexpected welcome, really, thank you, thank you very

much I appreciate that. Some week --

>> Each of you could probably share personal stories about what got you the most emotionally, I'm gonna resist the temptation 'cause

I have a long list. Really, it really was overwhelming and I know you've had some discussion here already about the meaning of it

all in connection, how it relates to this gathering and couldn't have happened without the World Wide Web, without the Internet. And

the fundraising dimension of it was only part of it. The new possibilities in -- on the Web have revolutionized almost every aspect

of running for President and the electrifying redemption of America's revolutionary declaration that all human beings are created

equal would not have been possible.

>> Would not have been possible without the additional empowerment of individuals to use knowledge as a source of power that has come

with the Internet. When people are displaying interactivity or user generated content or social networking or whatever, that's kind of

the gee whiz stuff, I'm not trying to diminish that at all but I am saying that I think that our challenge, really, those of us who are

excited about the speedier development of the full potential that we have here, we need to move past that as quickly as possible to

a time where all of those features are just taken for granted and are just like the fish -- the water the fish doesn't know it's swimming

in. And how do we get there? And I think that the incredible explosion of new ways of collaborating, securing information if you want

to talk about that, of introducing new levels of creativity and quality into everything that's done. I think that Web 2 point 0 has

to have a purpose, we have to have a purpose, the purpose I would urge all of you, as many viewers willing to take it up, is to bring

about a higher level of consciousness about our relationship to this planet and the immanent danger and opportunity that we face because

of the radical transformations of the relationship between human beings and the earth. We have everything that we need to save it

and in the process create millions of new jobs, reduce our national security exposure to a sudden cut-off of foreign oil, and solve

the climate crisis. But just as Barack Obama's election would have been impossible without the new dialogue and new ways of interacting

on the Web, the only way this is going to be solved is by addressing the democracy crisis, which the country hit a great blow in --

for victory this week, but we have to take this issue and raise it in the awareness of everyone and the solutions. Anyway, that's

what I wanted to say, I'm looking forward to the interactions and thank you very much for having me here.