Weeks ago, I watched the great Matías Ventura speak at WordCamp Asia 2025 in Manila, Philippines, and it sparked some reflections on change. Matías, the Lead Architect of WordPress, has a uniquely philosophical approach to his work, blending technical advancements with thought-provoking ideas. His talk, titled “There and Back Again,”explored how WordPress has evolved over the past two decades while staying true to its foundational purpose. (Watch the talk here.)
His central message resonated deeply: WordPress has transformed significantly, yet it remains WordPress at its core. It has adapted to the needs of the modern web, but its underlying philosophy—democratizing publishing and empowering users—endures.
The Paradox of The Ship of Theseus
Matías introduced the well-known thought experiment, The Ship of Theseus: If every part of a ship is gradually replaced, is it still the same ship? This paradox mirrors WordPress’s journey. Its architecture, interface, and capabilities have changed drastically, yet its essence remains intact. (The paradox explained in 90’)
This raises an interesting question: How much can something evolve before it ceases to be what it once was? The beauty of WordPress’s journey is that it has managed to embrace innovation without losing sight of its original mission.
What About Us? The Human Perspective on Change
This idea is relevant not only to businesses but also to us as individuals. Scientifically, our bodies undergo total renewal over time: skin cells regenerate in weeks, while bones take a decade to replace themselves. And yet, despite this constant renewal, we still consider ourselves the same person we were as children.
Core Ideas as Anchors of Identity
If WordPress remains WordPress despite its transformation, and if we remain ourselves despite biological renewal, what truly defines identity? Perhaps, as Matías suggested, we stay the same because of our core ideas.
I’ve written before about the difficulty of finding a purpose throughout life. But the fundamental principles that shape our perspectives or core ideas might be stable grounds for exploration.
What Remains Constant?
This reflection leaves me wondering: What are my own core ideas? What are the principles that have remained unchanged despite all the ways I have evolved? I’ll explore this in a future post. But for now, I leave you with this question:
What core ideas make you feel like the same person who once cheered or cringed on your first day of school?
Credit: Featured photo by Mihail Minkov on Unsplash
