So there was this post on Futurismic a while ago. Largely talking about how new cognitive drugs might usher in a Second Enlightenment.

They made this parallel:

Coffee debuted in the late 17th century in Oxford, England — leading to rowdy coffee houses, jittery arguments and even an attempt by King Charles II to ban the substance for inspiring seditious behavior.

The other consequence: the Enlightenment.

The drug they’re talking about is Modafinil – from wikipedia:

One study on helicopter pilots suggested that 600 mg of modafinil given in three doses can be used to keep pilots alert and maintain their accuracy at pre-deprivation levels for 40 hours without sleep.

Now, I’m thinking.. yeah, who doesn’t want to be able to work 40 hours straight when inspiration hits and a project has to be just then. But it’s not something you’d want to use all the time either.

It took me a while to realize the perfect use from them: Conferences. In this day and age the people we collaborate with are often scattered around the world, and across time-zones. So those rare moments of face-time are so valuable, why would you want to waste time sleeping when you could be getting things done. And it’s generally the various types of Con’s that draw us all together. Not only to catch up, but to check out other people presenting TheNew.

Yes, what fun to be had, charging bravely into day2 still firing on all cylinders.