In the Agora: ITA's 3rd Birthday

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November 10, 2007

ITA's 3rd Birthday

It was three years ago today that InTheAgora.com (ITA) posted its first true entries. After the first day's posts, co-founder Paul Musgrave described his goals for the site, which echoed my own:

I want this to be a blog that challenges conventional opinion, both mainstream and rightwing, while offering new and thought-provoking perspectives on issues international, domestic, and apolitical. I've long thought that paying too much attention to politics drains the interest from the rest of life--Drudge and blogs can turn the news into an addiction not unlike heroin, where we're all craving the next scandal so we can get another punditry fix. But there are topics in life that aren't political, at least to a first approximation. I find it's productive to talk about--or at least contemplate--those topics every once in a while.

Initially, I can't say I stayed true to this mission statement. The hollow world of political punditry was an addiction that was hard to break. My old personal blog had climbed to the top tier of many blog lists, in part because I had mastered the hollow art of engaging others in the "echo chamber" of blog punditry. But as is true in so many facets of life, popularity and quality can be inversely proportional. I craved something more substantive.

This was my hope in creating ITA and, to my immense pleasure, I believe we have achieved that. Often we receive recognition and hat tips from national journalists and pundits, but unlike many fellow websites, I don't think that rat race drives this blog. The real joy - at least for me - is that I continue to learn and grow, both intellectually and spiritually, from ITA's contributors and readers. That I can share my own perspective along the way is an added bonus.

Thanks to everyone who's been a part of ITA's first three years. I look forward to the ride ahead.

Posted by Joshua Claybourn at November 10, 2007 01:54 AM

Comments

Schoenes Geburstag!

Posted by: philosopher at November 10, 2007 04:50 PM | permalink

Wszystkiego Najlepszego! In recognition that the town of Butow, Germany was formerly within Polish boundaries.

Posted by: Joel Betow at November 10, 2007 06:43 PM | permalink

I'd like to say Happy Birthday and wish you many more. And thanks for three years of great discussion.

BTW, the nasty comment above wasn't from me, but from the same coward who is impersonating me in David's "Our Tortured Silence" thread.