This website began as a fits-and-starts blogging effort in 2004. It was launched in recognizable form on Blogger in November, 2004, the day after Election Day, and was called mattbarr.com. It moved to the URL newworldman.us and Movable Type in February, 2005, at which time it was named New World Man. It moved back to mattbarr.com and was renamed Socratic Rhythm Method in June, 2006. In August, 2006 Socratic Rhythm Method was re-launched with a much different, less blog-gy layout and feel.

The Socratic Method is a method of instruction involving questioning the student so that the student can arrive at the most defensible, persuasive elements of the truth. It is still predominant in law schools, but is rare in other settings. Socratic instruction is most effective when the student is forced (along with observers) to question, and defend, even the most fundamental of assumptions. Often, Socratic instruction fosters an adversarial relationship between instructor and student, and there are hard feelings. That more or less sums up my relationship with readers.

The Rhythm Method is the name of a drum solo by Neil Peart.

The author

I am Communications Director for a real estate appraisal and mortgage technology company, a la mode. Previously, I was editor of a biweekly appraisal industry publication, Appraisal Intelligence, which they're calling something else now. Previously previously, I worked as a consultant in wireless telecom site development, negotiating land leases and master lease agreements, preparing and presenting zoning applications, doing due diligence review, and, eventually, managing the people who did all that stuff, for a number of clients in a number of markets.

I was born in Buffalo, New York in 1969 and lived in that area till I was 21, graduating with a B.A. in English and History from Canisius College. I moved to Chicago and earned a J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law.

Contact

Contact the author at me@mattbarr.com.