If I recall correctly, the EOS token launch also happened (is still happening?) over a long period of time as an effort to distribute it among as many people as possible.
On the matter of psuedoanonymity... I do like the idea of a verification process that makes it nontrivial to get an account -- like a time lag or big enough fee to make some attempt at limiting spam accounts. I guess Steemit already has something along those lines, though.
I absolutely don't agree with a "true and verified person". I haven't read Dan's thoughts on this, so I might be missing the mark -- but something like a KYC for a social media platform completely kills it's ultimate power as a voice for change. People who are already doxxed are incentivized to say what's safe, not what's important.