It is amazing how far standards have slipped. I know that this sounds like any other whiney observation, but hear me out. I believe that the renaissance was the greatest time, philosophically, the world has ever seen. The development of loving the individual, broadening the mind, fulfilling all potential these are the beauties of the renaissance and these things are amazingly profound. Today capitalism reigns over us, sure we may have some renaissance values entangled within current society, but they aren't pure. Look at the humanist movement. They loved the individual, believed in what he/she could do and would do. We are not merely pawns of the church/government, but free-thinking people, destined to reach all parts of the world, even if only in thought. Touch people with prose and art. Move mountains with our voices. Plant our feet firmly on the ground and shout to the heavens that we are philosophers, artists, theologians, lovers, poets, writers, scientists, teachers….we are human.
Renaissance Italy was all about wealth, this is a prime example of government playing its role, but despite the greed driven government people learned to love that which is pure and true, rather than what was forced upon them as law. I submit to you to once again embrace the renaissance paradigm, and begin to love ourselves as much as the humanists did.
Amazingly written as far as emotion is conscerned. But there may be more of us philosophers out here than you think. Also, philosophers( and dont get me wrong i love who i am) are not usuallly happy and most live not hard lives, but it is certainly not the fame and fortune that can be found in other jobs. I believe the old saying "ignorance is bliss" and i rahter to leave people content with their ignorance well enough alone. which is why i question whether a new renaissance would be benificial to America.
locke
First let me thank you for your compliments, Now allow me to comment upon your comments. How do you quanitify a job by the fame or fortune that it brings, this is capitalism's further permeation into our lives? And as for your standing on leaving the ignorant as ignorant, let me pose a question, if ignorance was never contested then people like shakespeare, aristotle, nietzsche, etc. wouldn't exist right? And one more question what is beneficial to america, perpetuation of utter greed and choas?
You made me work for this one. First the fame and fortune quantification. I feel that there are two reasons that fame and fortune are important when considering a career. I myself could not handle bbeing something as fundemantally useless as an actor but I think that it would be fun to be able to attend the quality of night and day life that they are open to. they just get to be in some higher circles than I have access to, and it make me jelous(jk). Also if i had the fortune that celebrities have i would be able to do alot more that i want to do in my life, and a lot quicker. but i don't seduce myself into thinking that i could be content with that life style. now, onto the ignorance is bliss section. Of course shakespear would still have come with the ideas that he had, the ones that made his writtings so amazing. to tell the truth, while i make no comparison between the great shakespear and myself, i have grown up in a more or less ignorant community. People discuss issues facing our state and country of course, but only from a point of view that they have kept their whole lives. I suppose im trying to say they are more narrow minded, think in of things on an individual level, then most people I meet. but i have grown to appreciate the diversity. i am sorry but i must go now leaving this unfinished but i will return to revise it.
locke