What’s In An Address?

One thing that has been on my mind lately is the significance of the Atlantic Monthly’s change of address from Boston to Washington. To me the fact that the Atlantic had its base in Boston (and it’s roots in New England’s intellectual heritage) was always part of it’s appeal. This was not primarily about a political inclination, but rather an attitude towards learning and intellectual formation that claims a breadth of learning, especially in the humanities, puts one in a better position to reflect deeply on society. This was why the Atlantic gave the attention it did to literature and the arts, it was the gateway to understand culture and society and make truely informed judgements about politics.

Matthew Pearl was probably right to suggest in his New York Times Op-Ed piece that the change of address may not effect the content of the Atlantic that much, because the change from a broad journal to a political journal had already been cemented. However, for me there is something more basic and fundamental that warrants mouring in this change of address.