This is the Next Step

It Began With a Little Test

Our first stab at Deliberatism took place earlier this year. It was intended as a test, and it worked. Well… mostly. Even without a proper site design (the very first version was text-only) the posts attracted some attention. A few shared our perspectives, while others argued that the posts missed something and were overly narrow.

The criticism of these first posts didn’t fall on deaf ears, nor, was it unexpected. For the most part, it was one person’s blog (mine). It wasn’t intended to be this way for long, but we had to test the waters, and weren’t ready to open it up to others quite yet. Paradoxically, I didn’t really want the thing to read like a diary, which led me to remove personal references. Sometimes this came off as arrogance, when I was actually aiming to keep the tone more universal.

Regardless, the traffic was sufficient for us to move forward, and that was the important part. We needed to achieve a kind of proof-of-concept before fully investing ourselves (financially and emotionally) into this thing, and we believed we had achieved that.

Life’s What Happens…

For the next few months, we let Deliberatism sit dormant. I’d love to tell you that this was a strategic decision, but it was done out of simple necessity. Our creative agency was bombarded with work that couldn’t wait; we were adding new staff, and scrambling to keep up; and, my home was being renovated. This is the strange truth about the project: we’re not just asking others to find meaning and balance, we’re trying (sometimes rather desperately) to find our own.

Deliberatism was never far away, though. We noodled with where it could go, what it could be, and how we’d turn it into a reality.

What you see today isn’t what Deliberatism will be; it’s just a starting point. In this new form, it transforms from a venue for one person’s opinions, to a platform for many voices. It extends the discussion from more minimalistic considerations, to one that asks about alternatives to the norm, and the possibility of a life of adventure. It puts a stake in the ground, as we make a commitment to see where this idea can take us.

In the weeks to come, we’ll continue our experiment, but this time on a more accelerated schedule. We’ll post more frequently, test layout options to find the most suitable forms, and reach out to others, asking them to become involved in this project.

If You Like the Idea

Should this thing prove successful, we’ll be able to generate enough revenue to give it the attention it deserves, but we don’t expect this to happen easily. For now, it’s something that we’re doing off the sides of our desks, as we can find the time. You, however, can be pivotal in making this project work.

If you also believe that we need to consider our lives more deliberately; or, should you feel that spending one’s days in a cubicle is a waste; or, if you want to squeeze every drop out of this delightful existence, you are one of us. Join us in this dialogue, in which we’ll explore alternatives to 9 to 5, the suburbs, and must-see-TV, and encourage one another to live the lives we’ve dreamed of.

Want to lend a hand? Become a part of Deliberatism by subscribing to updates, following us on Twitter, and connecting with us on Facebook. We’ll be using all of these venues to spread the word and kick-start the discussion. Drop by to read, comment on posts, speak your mind, and even contribute story ideas. Meanwhile, if you know others who’d find this interesting, please invite them to do the same.

All the best, and thanks for reading!

Eric Karjaluoto (@karj)