https://www.reddit.com/r/Polymath/
Who am I, and why am I making this post? I am Dustin PolyInnovator, and I create content around "Knowledge Management for Polymaths", and really just being multidisciplinary/polymathic in general too.
I've been on the subreddit for a long time, and as a thought leader in the space I wanted to share my two cents on the potential of the subreddit. How we could use it more effectively, and things like that.
The history of the Group
Let me start off by saying that I have been on the group for only about half a decade now off and on. However I have seen all the posts by scrolling back to the beginning.
Ever since the inception they have been asking the question "what is this group FOR?", and for good reason. That is a good thing to ask, and try to figure out. It needed time to develop, and Polymathy itself as a subject has developed since the subreddit's inception too.
With even more researchers in the subject of polymathy, more content creators such as myself on the subject, and even a digital renaissance of sorts. Where polymaths can thrive.
The group's purpose was to share ideas, ask questions, and share polymath related content. Now there did seem to be an influx of people just coming in, and asking "am I polymath" then leaving, or some folks stating "I am a polymath". However in a lot of cases they aren't really, as they fit more into a generalist level of knowledge.
What we need from the group is to collectively come up with an FAQ, and some series to share, so that there is a consistency throughout.
Spinoff Groups and Other bubbles across the internet.
Groups like r/modernpolymaths or r/Polymathic_Arts, to me seem redundant. I get what the creators were trying to do, and much respect to them for that. I just feel that while polymathy is a lot more common than people realize. Which is actually a topic I write about a lot. The amount of people who DO realize is still pretty small.
Whether you ARE a polymath, proto-polymath, or just on the polymathic life journey. You realize it, and you want to share your experience with other like minded people. We are a group of people that need to have that community. If we keep splintering off, and doing our own thing. Then it is going to lead to each bubble being too small to take off.
I actually created a group myself to be a unifying hub for all of the bubbles. However I think my purpose right now is to help build up other groups first.
There are a few subreddits, not to mention the jack of all trades or generalist ones, which are essentially proto-polymaths themselves.
Many groups on places like linkedin, facebook, or discord. Yet all of them are relatively small, and reddit I feel is a great place for us to build up a group.
Why I think we should just stick to the main R/Polymath
Of course all of the auxiliaries would stick around, just that I think the main r/polymath should be the meeting grounds.
We can focus on the subject of polymathy, helping proto-polymaths on their journey. Etc
If we pinned a definition to the top, then it would decrease the random's coming in asking what it is. Then we can focus more on developing the idea of polymathy, especially in the modern day.
What is the purpose of r/Polymath?
It is a gathering hub of all polymathic people. Regardless if their creative polymaths, or hard science polymaths.
We can build each other up, share resources, and create a new future for people like us. I'd love to see more groups sharing their tribes too. Like if the founder of one of the bubbles comes in.
Let me know what you think about this in the post comments, as of course I'm going to share on reddit!
