SOLO: Past, Present and Future
by Joseph Rowlands

I just got back from a few weeks visiting Mr. Perigo in NZ. Aside from relaxation, good food, and good company, we spent a bit of time discussing SOLO. Periodically we try to go through what we've accomplished, and what we should be doing in the foreseeable future. We went through our old lists, and created some new lists in the process.

Accomplishments

The minimum goal in the past was to maintain the strength of SOLO while expanding as we found opportunities. And that meant keeping 5 articles a week, plus the bi-monthly Free Radicals. Over time we've increased our supply of articles, allowing us to be somewhat selective about what we choose to run. As the supply increased, we got a wider range of authors, started printing even on weekends, and are currently printing more than one article a day.

The big accomplishment for the year was the launch of the new SOLO website, SOLOHQ 2.0. It added user accounts, a variety of new galleries to add various content, new look and feel, customizable web experience, enhance forum software, and a lot more content. This was a major accomplishment for SOLO, allowing us to move forward in creating an international community of passionate Objectivists.

As well, of course, there was the publication of Chris Sciabarra's monograph on Objectivism and homosexuality, which, though predictably condemned by supporters of the orthodoxy, received plaudits from all over the libertarian/Objectivist spectrum.

In addition, we've created a system of franchising the SOLO name to local organizations, giving support for web pages, semi-private forums, and infrastructure for cross-organizational communication. To add to these opportunities to meet other Objectivists, we continued to have SOLO conferences.

Our membership has increased substantially, and it continues to grow rapidly. Our list of authors is growing steadily, and we're attracting very talented and energetic Objectivists. Our staff has expanded, recently to include Barbara Branden and James Kilbourne. With Lindsay's much-lauded participation at TOC-Vancouver, our relationship with TOC has improved, on a no-false-pretences basis - we still say they lack KASS! - to the point where there's even talk about working together on projects. In short, things are going great!

Now what?

But we need to keep the momentum going. To that end, we came up with a long list of things we intend to do. To keep our competitors guessing, we don't want to give too many details for some of them. So I'll give an abridged list with some descriptions. The order does not imply a prioritization.

It should be noted that as new opportunities present themselves, we may choose to do other things and neglect some of these. Also, the situation may change the needs. While going through our old list of projects, many were based on the presumption that we needed to get far more authors in order to keep up with the five articles a week feature. Since we're currently doing much better than this, there's no need to pursue some of those ideas. Similarly, we may find that other projects aren't important enough to pursue.

The List

1.) The SOLO Think Tank: Shortly I'll be constructing a private, invite-only forum. The goal of this forum will be for people with an advanced understanding of Objectivism to discuss new ideas, complicated arguments, and further the understanding of Objectivist ideas. We may add the ability for people to submit questions or their own attempts at extending Objectivism, in which case, hopefully, members will comment on them. One goal of the think-tank is to periodically write articles on new an interesting topics.

2.) SOLO University: The future of Objectivism will hinge on the intellectuals, and their grasp of the philosophy. SOLO would like to contribute to this by explicitly training Objectivists. To start it off, I will set up a private forum where people can discuss and ask questions about the philosophy. I'll be the first "professor", and we'll see if there's a demand for this service and if there are better ways to pursue it.

3.) Objectivism 101: We intend to build a web page dedicated to teaching the philosophy of Objectivism. Being a 101 site, it will start with the very basics, and provide a general explanation of the philosophy. I envision multiple layers, where more advanced students can continue on and get more detailed instruction.

4.) Monographs/Books: We have a number of writing ideas. Some will be compilations of articles with some editing and new content, while others will be completely original. Don't want to give too much away here, so you'll just have to wait.

5.) Conferences: Yeah, we intend to do more of these. We're considering several different approaches. Expect to see something for next year, the 100th birthday of Ayn Rand.

6.) Expanded Product List: We actually have a number of product that we haven't started to sell. Those will be added soon, and a variety of new products will be added.

7.) Updates: I'm going to do a periodic update to keep people posted on everything new with SOLO. The goal is once a month. Expect to see something soon.

8.) SOLO Interest Clubs: We already have local SOLO clubs, like SOLO NY and SOLO DC. We're going to add new clubs that are based on common interests, instead of geographic location. We're poised to add SOLO Youth. We will be adding SOLO Law, for those people interested in the Philosophy of Law, and what Objectivism has to offer. There will be SOLO Science, for all those people who want to shine the light of a rational philosophy on scientific questions. And there will be SOLO Education, for those interested in how philosophy can enhance the effectiveness of teaching. If you're interested in any of these groups, or in a group that isn't mentioned, feel free to SoloMail me.

9.) Outreach Web Pages: ImportanceOfPhilosophy.com was quite successful, and we want to expand the idea. Expect new web pages that will explain positions, and allow people to come read and decide if they want to pursue the topic further. The aim will be for people unfamiliar with Objectivism.

10.) Pamphlets: Aimed at the general public, and written in a very accessible way, we want pamphlets that people can distribute to friends, family, or people on the street. Instead of trying to debate with someone without preparation, giving them an informational pamphlet can provide a succinct argument.

11.) Romance Page/SOLO Singles: This will probably be in the form of a SOLO Interest club. Passionate individuals are looking for passionate romances, and where better to find it than among Sense Of Life Objectivists? We had this feature in the past, but never incorporated it into the new site.

12.) General Improvements: There are software enhancements, new functionality, and a whole lot more constantly in the works. We intend to continue to evolve and adapt to fulfill the needs of our members.

And How About You?

One goal of SOLO is to encourage other Objectivists to participate and help change the future. We try to offer help and services to those with the motivation to get involved. Do you have ideas or projects you'd like to work on? Do you wish you could contribute, but don't know where to start? SOLO can help facilitate your own activism.

Do you have skills that you could contribute? Remember that not everyone needs to be a writer. SOLO could use someone to help promote our efforts, and to recruit talented people. To address larger markets we could translate articles or websites into other languages. Or maybe you could start a local club where you can meet and discuss ideas with other Objectivists. There are countless ways to contribute, and those who do are left knowing that the benefits they receive from their fellow Objectivists are paid for in full.

Conclusion

We have a lot to do. The world isn't going to conquer itself. If we're going to make lasting change, we have to keep racing to the finish line. This list is not an ending point, but merely a beginning. As we continue to grow as an organization, our means will steadily increase as well. We'll utilize our growing skill sets to reach wider audiences, and constantly think bigger. And I hope you'll join us on the front line.

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