Spencer Muir said in (semi) jest during our Salon on Monday. That was each of our claims as we had our discussion--that the subject we had studied with our previous groups was the most important during the Renaissance and Reformation. As I discussed the different aspects with my classmates, I came to the realization that in reality, not one of our topics was more important than the other. Each had it's own pros and cons, evident weaknesses and strengths. The Renaissance was a web of interconnected ideas, people, and events. Greek classics and history inspired scholars, who articulated the idea of humanism. The idea of humanism prompted people to start questioning their place in society and in their religion. This individualistic fervor pushed people to travel, to share, to learn, to grow, and to create. One of those creations was the brilliant Gutenberg press, which circled back and allowed for more sharing and creation. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that it didn't matter what came first. "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" Well, aren't we just glad we have both? Same with the Renaissance.
There is a key theme in each of the ideas of the Renaissance that we discussed, and that theme is creation. Whether an original or a re-creation, the Renaissance was an explosion of creation. Petrarch discussed this idea of creation in terms of writing: "There is no lighter burden, nor more agreeable, than a pen. Other pleasures fail us or wound us while they charm, but the pen we take up rejoicing and lay down with satisfaction, for it has the power to advantage not only its lord and master, but many others as well, even though they be far away — sometimes, indeed, though they be not born for thousands of years to come." Petrarch recognized the importance of creation, especially through words. He knew that creation would affect people in his own time period, but people in the future as well.
Creation isn't unique to the Renaissance, but it was the first time in hundreds of years that people dared to create. And they weren't just creating because it was monetarily profitable, but rather, because it enriched their lives intellectually. Whether it was humanism that prompted them or the protestant reform, or the printing press, it doesn't matter. What matters is the vast number of new ideas that were being shared all around the world. There was true communication occurring, true rhetoric.
After studying this unit, I have become particularly fond of the Renaissance because of the wave of individuality that it started. We live in a day and age where individuality is taken for granted. We can say what we want, when we want, where we want, with little to no repercussions. Because of the humanism ideas that were propagated, education became more mainstream and desirable. Because people dared to think and create, we don't have to think twice when we create. The Renaissance took the world from a place where you were born, worked, then died to a place where you can learn, create, and grow.
So what came first, the chicken or the egg? What inspired the Renaissance, humanism or sprezzetura? It doesn't matter what came first or what came last. What matters is the era that came about because people dared to create.
I find it interesting how many of our reactions to the polarizing aspect of the salon was to reject the naming of a winner outright. The post that quotes Prince of Egypt is another example of this idea. I can't help but wonder if the idea of accepting all ideas as valuable is one that harkens back to the Renaissance or if it's an invention of our age.
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