Re: I'm a Bearblog maximalist
Having read Sylvia's blogpost, I can't help but feel that there's no right or wrong between minimalism and maximalism. If I could be egotistical about this, I even wrote a blogpost on the matter eons ago - yet it's perfectly minimalist in its approach.
I personally prefer a non-cluttered interface myself, though when it gets to the point of almost blank space, I opt out. Take football crests or modern logos, perfectly optimised for apps and social media - they're often simplified and minimalist, and they look ugly. Yet I can appreciate brutalist architecture, whilst secretly finding lots of medieval styles, what with their intricate carvings, slightly repulsive.
On the topic of Bearblog specifically, I find that most blogs have rather dull interfaces, and the posts themselves lack pictures. And that's completely fine, there's no doubt about that - especially as I'm one of them. True, on my main blog, I don't uphold those virtues, so my follow up point may not surprise too many of you - whilst it's fine, I also don't think minimalism is necessarily desirable. Sure, it's great for SEO, and the blogs load quickly, and they're not banned in China, and I admire the work that Herman has put into the blog platform, yet I can't help but feel like there can be more meat to the bone in many Bearblogs. Sylvia's blog, for instance, has a notes section on the homepage, clippings, etc - and I quite like how it goes beyond what a simple template offers. Obviously this isn't imperative either - you do you - but I think that slight added complexity can make a blog stand out even more.
All that is to say, I forgive you Sylvia for not being full-on minimalist, even if that isn't a crime. Because I like your blog, and I like it when people go out of the box. I do like it.
Conclusion
Minimalism can be nice, but in moderation, and there's nothing to be ashamed about going beyond the pale.