Are we living in a second Renaissance?

The use of the vernacular in literature and the invention of perspective in painting, coupled with the invention of the printing press, are widely credited to have introduced and sustained the first Renaissance. Today, the multiplication of communication devices and technology, the omnipresence of mass media, the free-form styles of modern art (mostly introduced by the perspective shattering approach of cubism) and the ever faster rate of change in our societies ("All that is solid, melts into air.") are all indicative of a far different world. Is this a revolution? Is this a second Renaissance?


Open debate.

I think it would be considered more of a revolution for multiple reasons.
A Renaissance really means reborn. But modern art and communications is innovating and inventing new technologies and ways to express art. All the advances in technology has shown how much humans have advanced mentally in time. The thought of things like phones/i pods etc were never even thought of in past century's.

So this would be considered more of a revolution as we are leading new ways of technological advancements. The Renaissance was mainly a way to help the culture of that time get out of a social black hole and introduce new ways to express art. Modern art branches of of past art to create new and more innovative ways to share that art for different cultures.

But as we are on that note, I believe that modern art depend to much on those technological advances and overshadows the much needed contemporary art of pictures, and such. If modern culture puts all focus towards technological communications, All other forms of art will be forgotten. This would be when a second Renaissance would be needed.....

how does anyone come back after that?^

Artistically? No way. We're actually falling into a new Dark Age, art-wise. When a canvas covered in red squares or vomit or squiggly lines can be considered art and could be purchased for thousands of dollars... well, it's certainly not GOOD.

Even in other respects, this is not a renaissance, as (to our knowledge) there has never been a human civilization at this level of advancement. The world is, simply, though illogically, getting smaller by growing larger.

You see, for a very long time the human population was relatively stable. A low life expectancy and high infant mortality rate led to very slow increases. However, as technology became more advanced, it was possible to save many lives that would have been lost and lengthen them, too. As the increase rate of the increase rate increased, there were more and more people, who pioneered more and more advancements, making more and more people. This cycle continues today, with its primary purpose the creation of more people and generating new technology in other sectors almost as an afterthought. Especially in communications and transport, but also in others, the rapid gains made insurmountable distances and impassable barriers effortlessly easy to bypass. Thus, smaller by larger.

The majority of the the population is, in America at least, getting stupider, not smarter. Modern art sucks and there is hardly any 'rebirth' going on.

No matter what it is I sense A crash coming in the near future. All great civilizations fell, mostly after a renaissance or revolution in the though of people. Couple that with the ignorance and greed growing here and we are doomed. I predict it shall happen within the next 50 - 100 years

I'm with Axer.
There's a power structure in place that likes things to stay status quo. Sure there are going to be advancements and inventions. But the reins are being held tight to keep the pace of advancement under control. The last thing we need is some idealist doctor actually curing aids rather than just treating it, or some idiot economist like me ending poverty.

P.S. I have a workable plan that could all but eliminate poverty in America. If it works, it could easily be implemented in other countries. But, I'm never going to get it to the ear of anyone with influence. And even if I did, it will never be allowed to see the light of day.
note: The plan does not add any additional taxes and uses very little spending increase in a department that already exists.


Also, since someone else said it already, we are getting less intelligent as a nation. Intelligence is a trait not sought after when choosing a spouse. There are far more smart single lonely people, than moron lonely people.

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Originally Posted by Rota

=P.S. I have a workable plan that could all but eliminate poverty in America.

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I have one of those, too! It's called Stop Spending 45% Of Our Money On Bombs.

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Originally Posted by Axer NZ

I have one of those, too! It's called Stop Spending 45% Of Our Money On Bombs.

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That would not end poverty, The money would just be handled by the government,which we all know how that goes :rolleyes:
Some of the ways to end poverty would be to give government less control over certain areas of a country well being.

That's a good single idea Axer, but that's not really a plan. And it doesn't address the poverty issue, it just gives the gov't less debt to worry about. My idea is far more complex than that.

Hello.

I may be biased as I am enthralled to Classical Antiquity, Medieval [Carolingian Renaissance+Ottonian Renaissance] and Byzantine history, the Italian Renaissance, the Period of Enlightenment and the Age of European Romanticism. However, I would generally state that the contemporary world is a collective manifestation of a dilapidated state of human affairs with the decrease in the devotion to knowledge and the vulgarity and baseness of language. The youth are consumed by lasciviousness whilst those advanced in years are incorrigible and dazzled by a false glaring light. The general licentiousness of human nature is revolting and such sullies the passions of the spirit.

The contemporary world [societal will] stresses collectivism with the desire for the self-autonomy of the human individual to be sown its abjuration or its utter dissolution. It appears that the contemporary world consists of individuals being reduced into obeisance and suppliance; to lay prostrate in an act of proskynesis to the petty whim of external forces. Modern man has been reduced into an obsequious bondage and degraded. This means of dilapidation or decay will end with the total annihilation of the individual [self-autonomy, self-sufficiency, self-representation, self-determination, self-integrity] with the conception of an encompassing collective whole-such a repressed agglomeration. In such a case, what awaits in the tenebrous realm of life but an inchoate measure [primal chaos] that is formless and senseless in an incessant movement as in a maelstrom and tempest? Is life but a means of the degradation and denigration of the autonomous spirit? Is life within such a context a swirling mass with cacophonous sounds and chitinous or rough bellows and shrieks?

In essence, I believe that the contemporary era is tinged with hubris and varying gradations of pusillanimity; contemporary thought is being torn asunder by the polarities of thought consisting of chimerical or fanciful expressions and of overwhelming melancholy. It appears that contemporary society is aware of the impossibility of achieving the Absolute Ideal or a harmonious and symmetrical synthesis with transcendence from human frailty and vulgar passions. Instead, contemporary agenda dictates the degradation to obsequious bondage and the pursuit of mere chimeras or tenebrous, inchoate and senseless specters of illusion with the end result that of repression and servility.
I truly state that one moment in an embrace with intoxicating and voluptuous liberty and autonomy is worth more than thousands of moments in subservience and a morigerous bondage. Those who seek liberty shall not lay in ignominy and opprobrium.

As I stated in one of my general essays regarding the contemporary world:

"I, a lone figure in the midst of men; I alone in the repose of the tenebrous apart from men to forever wander in melancholy-a mere mendicant forever lost. I am not of men but a lone figure amidst the shadows of men. I differ from men as the scintillating rays of the sun with all its fiery passions and effulgence differs from the dull and pale glow of the moon. It is due to such abhorrence of men, and of their eternal hatred of my self-identity that such two aspects will forever be in tension, equally bonded together in their hatred for the other..."

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Originally Posted by Conrad_Jalowski

I may be biased as I am enthralled to Classical Antiquity, Medieval [Carolingian Renaissance+Ottonian Renaissance] and Byzantine history, the Italian Renaissance, the Period of Enlightenment and the Age of European Romanticism. However, I would generally state that the contemporary world is a collective manifestation of a dilapidated state of human affairs with the decrease in the devotion to knowledge and the vulgarity and baseness of language.

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In the broad expanse of history you indicate, how prevalent was knowledge-devotion? How literate were the societies in even the most developed of these cultures? I admit that the social and religious-political elites were probably highly educated, but the masses surely were not. It seems to me that as technology and education become more accessible to more segments of the population a devotion to knowledge would increase rather than decrease. I suppose if you are looking at overall levels of knowledge from the subset of literate people only, then perhaps a case can be made for historical elites having a greater aggregate level of knowledge than the literate masses of today. Even if that were to be true, I would view that widespread literacy and access to education as being liberating and essential. Of course, knowledge is wonderful, but so are skills. My ability to speak multiple languages is not going to help me ice a cake or change a car tire or any number of tasks which I find myself needing to do.

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Originally Posted by Conrad_Jalowski

The youth are consumed by lasciviousness whilst those advanced in years are incorrigible and dazzled by a false glaring light. The general licentiousness of human nature is revolting and such sullies the passions of the spirit.

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I would contend that lasciviousness is a fundamental component of human nature. I would further argue that there is sufficient historical evidence that the ancients were every bit as excited and fascinated by the reproductive and pleasurable potential of their bodies as people are today. When was the last time any of us went to a museum and didn't see an artifact from Ancient Greece or Rome representing priapism or some other sexual content?

I believe that we are at a point in time, in terms of human events, that could be described as a crossroads, or a watershed moment. Where ever we head from here, there will be changes. The nature of those changes depends upon the direction that we choose to take.

The old financial system collapsed recently. The inbuilt flaws of that system were clear for all to see. Climate change (if we accept that the basic premise is correct) will drastically alter our lives, one way or another. Peak oil will also force many changes to the way that we do things. I don't think a lot of people understand how much of our western society is based on the internal combustion engine. Two of the most populated nations of the world are undergoing rapid economic changes that, in a world of diminishing resources, will impact the lives of all of us.

The renaissance was named that by modern historians, who were looking back at a time of rebuilding and rediscovery, that set the path for the modern world. I don't know what future historians will say of our time when they look back upon us. Perhaps they will see us as the time of collapse and the renaissance has yet to begin.

After all, were the citizens of Rome aware that their way of life was going to collapse and most of their achievements would be lost? Many may have seen the signs but they were still unable to stop the collapse.

So I think we now stand at the crossroads of history. The future is unclear.

Excellent post again Rodri.
Dang I wish I could rep you. :( I still need to spread more around apparently.

We are at a watershed moment rather than a renaissance. We can fall into chaos or rise to greatness. Unfortunately, my money is on stagnating at this crossroads for quite a while twiddling our thumbs.

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Originally Posted by Conrad_Jalowski

Hello.

I may be biased as I am enthralled to Classical Antiquity, Medieval [Carolingian Renaissance+Ottonian Renaissance] and Byzantine history, the Italian Renaissance, the Period of Enlightenment and the Age of European Romanticism. However, I would generally state that the contemporary world is a collective manifestation of a dilapidated state of human affairs with the decrease in the devotion to knowledge and the vulgarity and baseness of language. The youth are consumed by lasciviousness whilst those advanced in years are incorrigible and dazzled by a false glaring light. The general licentiousness of human nature is revolting and such sullies the passions of the spirit.

The contemporary world [societal will] stresses collectivism with the desire for the self-autonomy of the human individual to be sown its abjuration or its utter dissolution. It appears that the contemporary world consists of individuals being reduced into obeisance and suppliance; to lay prostrate in an act of proskynesis to the petty whim of external forces. Modern man has been reduced into an obsequious bondage and degraded. This means of dilapidation or decay will end with the total annihilation of the individual [self-autonomy, self-sufficiency, self-representation, self-determination, self-integrity] with the conception of an encompassing collective whole-such a repressed agglomeration. In such a case, what awaits in the tenebrous realm of life but an inchoate measure [primal chaos] that is formless and senseless in an incessant movement as in a maelstrom and tempest? Is life but a means of the degradation and denigration of the autonomous spirit? Is life within such a context a swirling mass with cacophonous sounds and chitinous or rough bellows and shrieks?

In essence, I believe that the contemporary era is tinged with hubris and varying gradations of pusillanimity; contemporary thought is being torn asunder by the polarities of thought consisting of chimerical or fanciful expressions and of overwhelming melancholy. It appears that contemporary society is aware of the impossibility of achieving the Absolute Ideal or a harmonious and symmetrical synthesis with transcendence from human frailty and vulgar passions. Instead, contemporary agenda dictates the degradation to obsequious bondage and the pursuit of mere chimeras or tenebrous, inchoate and senseless specters of illusion with the end result that of repression and servility.
I truly state that one moment in an embrace with intoxicating and voluptuous liberty and autonomy is worth more than thousands of moments in subservience and a morigerous bondage. Those who seek liberty shall not lay in ignominy and opprobrium.

As I stated in one of my general essays regarding the contemporary world:

"I, a lone figure in the midst of men; I alone in the repose of the tenebrous apart from men to forever wander in melancholy-a mere mendicant forever lost. I am not of men but a lone figure amidst the shadows of men. I differ from men as the scintillating rays of the sun with all its fiery passions and effulgence differs from the dull and pale glow of the moon. It is due to such abhorrence of men, and of their eternal hatred of my self-identity that such two aspects will forever be in tension, equally bonded together in their hatred for the other..."

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I agree with you, you also did a good job of pointing that out. Bravo. :)

I do not feel that we are in a second rebirth for the same reasons as stated. Art is mostly in decline in my opinion, trending more towards abstract. While this change is not a bad thing, I fail to see the beauty of it. I like to be able to look at something and determine what it is actually trying to show with some thought, especially when it has hidden meaning. Of course, these features are still in abstract art, but I tend to trend towards the concrete.

As far as technology goes, let me quote a quote from one my my characters in the Solar Empires Roleplay, which I am the head game master of.

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...and so we left, not out of anger or fear [for ourselves]. We could have easily made war on the world and won, but that is not our way. Mankind is not ready for us, we accept that fact. We bear no animosity towards our fellow man. Only pity, for it is their fear of advancement that will inevitably doom them.

-Grandmaster Jonathan Harland on the Exodus

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With each passing day we bring ourselves closer and closer to destroying ourselves, something represented in this quote from SE.

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At the very cornerstone of man's mindset is aggression. It has been hardcoded into our heads by some fluke of evolution and it is deep rooted. A complete and total understanding of not only our fellow man, but the universe as a whole cannot come into being without first shedding these... these savage instincts. We are no better than the beasts from which we descended so long as they remain in place!

-Franklin Guarnieri M.S.

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Originally Posted by BigBlugga

how does anyone come back after that?^

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Well look at the thread silly :P

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Originally Posted by devis666

No matter what it is I sense A crash coming in the near future. All great civilizations fell, mostly after a renaissance or revolution in the though of people. Couple that with the ignorance and greed growing here and we are doomed. I predict it shall happen within the next 50 - 100 years

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I agree but I think because of how advanced we have really become as humans from the past, The crash might start in 50-100 years but will be a long term downfall more then a out of nowhere crash. The start will be when all forms of art besides technological art is actually phased out.

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Originally Posted by armbarchris

The majority of the the population is, in America at least, getting stupider, not smarter. Modern art sucks and there is hardly any 'rebirth' going on.

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I disagree that modern art "sucks", There is still many fine pieces of art created in modern day but most involves technological advances to make them great...