The two days raised plenty of questions, both for today and for the future. And there were far more questions than answers - about business, media and the future of the planet.
As far as the economy goes, business secretary Peter Mandelson introduced the concept of a W-shaped recession - so any signs of an initial recovery should be treated with suspicion.
I have subsequently heard predictions about a "two Ws" recession - a WW-shaped downturn. Surely that just means the economy is going to continue to be up and down for the long term and so we'd better get used to it.
When asked whether he was against regulating the internet, Mandelson replied by questioning whether UK voters want an internet that is as unregulated as it is today. Later in the conference, writer Aaron Sorkin said there would be no hope until the internet "is held to the same legal standards as publishers offline".
The only man with any answers to the problems besetting the planet seemed to be Richard Branson. With infectious enthusiasm, he told delegates about his solution to wars (a council of elders including Nelson Mandela), to carbon emissions (the Biochar Initiative) and to rising sea levels (huge inland lakes in the desert).
But for me, the humbling part of the conference was delivered by Columbian Oscar Morales, a panellist on the Citizen Politics session moderated by James Harding, editor of The Times.
In early 2008, Morales organised a group on Facebook to protest against FARC - a Columbian terrorist organisation that reportedly kidnaps, murders and trafficks arms and drugs.
Within weeks of the protest, Morales had a huge following that culminated in millions marching as a civil protest against FARC in February 2008, both in Columbia and in cities around the world.
Morales, an engineer in his early 30s, brought millions together for a cause and his achievement is all the more amazing when you consider web penetration stands at only 30% in his country.
This feat shows the power of the web to give a voice to the people. However, the web alone would not have given the campaign the profile it needed. The cause was given leverage and fame by newspapers, TV and radio channels.
As a communications case study, Morales' efforts clearly show what the power of a cause can achieve online and how it can then be enhanced by broad-cast media offline. His achievement may also make you question what you've done to change the world today and what you could do.
l Morales' presentation, Citizen Politics - Zeitgeist Europe 2009, can be viewed on YouTube.




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