I agree with Seth Godin that speeches are not effective as a way of teaching people (more than 3 people). In Seth’s words "In our scan and skip world, in a world where technology makes it obvious that we can treat different people differently, how can we possibly justify teaching via a speech?"

However, most of the conferences I go to are panels where people are giving speeches and if speeches are not effective teaching people (at a conference) than how do you teach people?  How do you share knowledge?

"If marketing is the art of spreading ideas, then teaching is a kind of marketing. And teaching to groups verbally is broken, perhaps beyond repair. Consumers of information won’t stand for it. We’re learning less every time we are confronted with this technique, because we’ve been spoiled by the remote control and the web."

I think we’re in a Renaissance with the Internet - everything has changed (even as it’s also stayed the same) and many people have not yet caught on.  Artists are beginning to sell over the Internet, bypassing galleries.  Many people are using EBay to run businesses that allow them to work from home.  Teaching is now being done with Online Videos that can be accessed 24×7 over the Internet.