It's basically the powerful people's version of an academic symposium. I watched a lot of panels last week on youtube and the discussions were informed, interesting and very down to earth in regards to real problems and plausible solutions (not utopic, naïve, or extremist ones). Collaboration between governments, states and business, etc. Stuff that actually have a chance to achieve something. In particular I felt they were on point about the Amazon and the reception the new Environment Minister of Brazil, Marina Silva, a person I absolutely trust about this matter at least, was a great signal the WEF is an org I can trust, even if I disagree with some guests (natural since it's politics and I don't want it all to be in line with what I want).

Clearly you must’ve missed the panel about secretly controlling the world, it was in between the one on vampiric bloodsucking and the one on mind control via mass media.

It’s truly disappointing how much the HN crowd skews towards conspiracy theorists these days. This place is becoming a cesspool for informed discussion.