>>FWIW, since I said elsewhere that I credit FoxForum for starting my writing career, it wasn't purely selfless.

Hobbes said that human beings always are motivated by self interest. Which can be argued uselessly to the nth degree if people want to assert that even Gandhi or Mother Theresa got something out of their actions.

In the case of presentations: it's well understood that a presentation at an industry conference keeps you in the public eye which is good for business and in other industries can be as beneficial as a $20K trade booth. In IT, IME good presenters often are swarmed at the end and may receive calls and lucrative business in coming months which opportunity starts by impressing the punter at a show. IMHO this is a win-win scenario with credit all around including for those who organize the event. ;-)

But that's not the point I raised. I was referring to those who covet and direct their behavior towards a portfolio of benefits bestowed on good boys and girls who please a third party. Not everybody sees the problem if would-be community leaders bang gongs about their worthiness or consistently insist that their patron is wearing wonderful robes, long after the boy has shouted. Not talking about anybody in VFP there- if anything, VFP'ers did the opposite!