So “the platonist” has been up and running now for a year, and that’s always a good time to reflect on the state of things. I for one can say that it’s been very useful for me to put so many of these ideas that have been running around my head into (virtual) concrete form. For one thing, I had no idea that so many of the ideas that I have have been so connected, in so many ways. This has really helped me to see “the matrix” that binds them all together, if you will, thus revealing strengths, weaknesses, and leads that would never otherwise have been reavealed. So for me, this has been fabulous.
As for our reading public – well, we have gained a few devoted fans, and been a place of at least momentary interest for a few thousand individuals over the past year, so that’s definitely something. Hopefully, you have found this place to be somewhat inspiring, and occasionally enlightening; perhaps even adding some sense that you weren’t quite as alone as you previously thought. For me, there have been a few moments when some kind people took the time to register their pleasure at having found someone who put into words exactly what they had been thinking or feeling. That’s the chief reward for me, and so hopefully in this second year we can expand our reach, and connect with more people.
In an effort to do that, I am making a move towards populism by changing the site’s name. I have learned since my utter newbie days of webmastering that a name such as the platonist will strike the vast majority of readers as somewhat esoteric and off-putting, even though it does describe well what we do here. Perhaps, too, Platonism is just too limiting of a concept for what we do here, because we do aim to be as inclusive and universal as possible. While Plato may have been the grandfather of idealism as a defined intellectual system, it is best, of course, if no one in particular owns idealism – idealism strives to be, and is best when it is, universal.
Thus, the name change to “the idealist,” — the site thus becomes more universal, less proprietary, less ivory tower perhaps, and hopefully more accessible–without of course diluting anything that it stands for. In a sense, then, we’ve evolved – moved out of our shell, and now feel more confident to embrace a broader readership, a broader public. This, at least, is the ideal – let me know what you think.
Cheers,
-the idealist.
