TEDGlobal 2009 is under way! Writer Alain de Botton (you can follow him on Twitter) kickstarted the conference with an insightful talk on why people are snobs and how we define our own success. Here were the reactions from TEDsters watching the live feed.

A snob: “Someone who uses a small part of you to come to a global conclusion about who you are.” Opposite of a snob: Mom — TEDxCambridge

Snobbery is a global phenomena! — rom

Alain de Botton: we are drawn to nature as an escape from the human ant hill. A way to feel connection with the non-human — kokoe2

Most unlikely tweet today, from the #TED conference. ‘Alain de Botton is off and rocking them’. Like he’s Status Quo at Live Aid. — Mr_Considerate

“Never before the expectations of what human beings should achieve with little have been so high” — javiermalagon

Keep checking this page for more updates from Twitter on TEDGlobal 2009.