10 Ways Our World is Like the Renaissance

By Stephanie Storey

1: Democratization of Information: We have the internet, but the Renaissance had the printing press. Gutenberg printed and sold his first Bibles in 1455; for the first time, information spread out of churches and schools. They had the same concerns we do: would this new “technology” change brains and society for the worse or would it free the world from the powers of the elite?

2: Dirty Politics: We aren’t the only era rife with political anger. The Renaissance was a time of particular political strife. The good news?

If you’re concerned about the state of our politics, remember that the Renaissance had King Henry VIII (pictured to the left), Machiavelli, Isabella I, King Ferdinand – tyrants and manipulators who regularly beheaded their enemies (and wives!) and advocated for ruthless selfempowerment. Battling factions went to literal war – I’m talking the cannon-firing, killing and raping kind of war – rather than just arguing it out on Twitter. Although both eras have dirty politics at our centers, the rulers of the Renaissance make our current antagonism seem downright reasonable.

3: Nationalism versus Globalism: During the Renaissance, people from beyond homeland borders were considered barbarians. On the other hand, these were the years when Columbus was sailing the Ocean blue and new lands were being discovered. [...] Our current debate over closing borders or embracing the world is nothing new.

4: Alternative Facts and Fake News: One of the reasons I find the Renaissance so fascinating is because it was the heyday of spin. Take JUST ONE example: Pope Julius was known as Papa Terrible and the Warrior Pope, but late in his career, he needed his people to trust and love him. Check out this portrait by Raphael. Does Pope Julius look like a screaming, cursing warrior who would strike you over the head with a stick at any moment for disagreeing with him? No. Because this pope – and this era – was just as addicted to spin as we are!

5: Me-Centered Culture: Today we have selfies and social media, but it’s not much different than the rise of Humanism during the Renaissance. Gone were the days of focusing on spiritual matters; suddenly MAN was at the center of every conversation.

6: Idealism of the Past: The Renaissance was all about climbing out of the so-called “Dark Ages” and bringing about the rebirth of ancient culture. [...] Today, many of our people look backwards to some sort of ideal, too. It’s a natural human inclination, even if it is impossible to truly recapture the past.

7: Fame Obsessed: With the Renaissance came the rise of celebrity. With the likes of Donatello, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael, [...] suddenly an artist’s name – and fame – mattered when commissioning a work. Our modern-day obsession with celebrity culture is nothing more than a five-hundred-year-old obsession.

8: Joining of Art and Science: The Renaissance is famous for joining together the worlds of art and science to make advances never before imagined. Today, arts and sciences are joining hands once again as they stand together to support science and arts education. As these two forces work together – in Silicon Valley and beyond – imagine the Renaissance Men and Women that might emerge.

9: Hubs of Creativity: Speaking of Silicon Valley, [...] vibrant centers of creativity were central to the advancements of the Renaissance. San Francisco is a modern-day Florence, a hub of creative, brilliant people, coming together to create new things. When a bunch of ambitious people work side by side in the same city, they all strive to outdo each other – and thereby create marvels.

10: Explosion of Invention: The Internet and Silicon Valley have no doubt changed the world. And our artists, scientists and inventors are stepping up to create new avenues in medicine, the arts, travel, communications. [...] Is this modern-day explosion of invention a result of our cultural climate being similar to the Renaissance? Or are these cultural similarities a result of living in an age of invention?

What does all of this mean? Are we living in an era of the next Leonardo da Vinci or Michelangelo? I don’t know. But I find the similarities between our two ages interesting and important to note. And I most certainly feel like we are living through an age that history will remember. [...]

Go to the word list.

Textwork

At first sight

Summarize all ten points in your own words. What similarities are mentioned? Write one or two sentences per point. When you are done, compare your summaries with those of a classmate.

Food for thought

Work in pairs or small groups. Discuss.

1. Will new technologies “change brains and society for the worse”? Or will they “free the world from the powers of the elite”?

a. On your own, write a list of examples of new technologies in recent years. For instance, inserting a chip in your body to unlock your front door. Hint: you might find it useful to consider Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence when thinking of your own examples.

b. When your list is done, share your examples in pairs or a group and discuss how your examples of new technologies might change our society for better and for worse.

2. At the end of the article, the author Stephanie Storey states: “I most certainly feel like we are living through an age that history will remember.” Based on what is listed in the text, what will future historians remember us by? And is there anything missing on this list?

3. Stephanie Storey starts her list by comparing the printing press with the internet. Think of the similarities between the printing press and the internet, based on what you have read. You might want to start by considering how information spreads. Write down 3–5 similarities. Then, compare your points with those of a classmate. Are your lists the same, or do they differ, and if so, how?

Close-up

1. Identify some more similarities and differences between the Renaissance and modern-day life. Here are some ideas to consider.

i. Things were better before: It is often said that things aren’t what they used to be. In what ways would you say that people today try to recapture the lifestyle of the past? (Point #6 in the text.)

ii. Renaissance Man: Renaissance artists like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci were idolized and came to represent what is called Renaissance Man, meaning someone who knows a lot about many different subjects, and is accomplished in many different fields. They were the celebrities of their time. What celebrities today might qualify as modern Renaissance persons? (Point #7 in the text.)

iii. Humanity in the center: Renaissance Humanism focused on the potential and achievements of humans. Thinkers of the day wanted to promote new values by studying classical texts, which placed people, rather than, for example, God or religion, at the center of attention. How do you think the Renaissance definition of Humanism is incorporated in today’s worldview? What similarities and differences do you see? (Point #5 in the text.)

iv. Manipulation: Manipulative and scheming politicians existed during the Renaissance (such as King Henry VIII or Machiavelli), but can you think of a modern politician who might fit the same description? Why did you choose this person? (Point #2 in the text.)

v. Spin: According to the text, Pope Julius appears to have two sides: a “terrible” leader as well as someone who wanted to come across as trustworthy. Can you think of a current leader who manages or tries to spin the perception of himself like Pope Julius did? (Point #4 in the text.)

vi. Ideal body proportions: As mentioned in the text, the Renaissance artists joined art and science together. A good example is Leonardo da Vinci’s drawing “Vitruvian Man” (1485), in which he depicts his idea of the ideal proportions of the human body. What would you say are the ideal proportions of the human body today? And do you think that society’s idea of the ideal proportions is the same as your own? (Point #8 in the text.)

2. Do you agree?

What are your thoughts after reading the article? Do you agree with the author’s arguments that there are similarities between the Renaissance and the current era in which we live? Support your answer with examples from the text.