Modern Renaissance Man
By: Marcus Mallen
Tags: Self Improvement, Life, Masculinity, First Post, Growth

A cultured man who is knowledgeable and proficient in a variety of fields. A man who can do all if he wills it. A man who does all with respect dignity and ease. This is what a Renaissance Man looked like in 14th century Florence but why have these men been confined to the days of the past? There are four ways that a man must master in order to become a renaissance man. Although they may look different 700 years in the future, mastery of these qualities allows for the resurrection of the renaissance man of the past.

The Way of the Scholar

A renaissance man is without a doubt a man with an appreciation for betterment and knowledge. The Italian Renaissance is known as a period of incredible scientific discovery. The world was changing at such a rapid pace that one had to be a scholar to stay ahead of the pace of discovery. This was an incredible time period that paved the way for the modern world. From the time of the renaissance, knowledge has increased exponentially. The age of information that we know today increases the pace of discovery more than could have ever been imagined by scholars long ago. With an endless stream of information at our fingertips, we have the ability to rekindle this scholarhood of the past. With so many entities competing for our attention let us not lose the passion for education. The men who shaped the world as we know it today had the mind of a scholar. In order to be a man that shapes the world as it is known tomorrow, we must also have the mind of a scholar.

The Way of the Warrior

The word warrior calls to mind images of battle hewn soldiers scraping and clawing for an advantage over an opponent in a field of battle. This mental imagery drawn from stories of the past provides an excellent picture of what a warrior looked like years ago. However, many of us have traded the field of battle for an office space and our weapon of choice for a keyboard. Although the battles of today may have taken on a different look, the principles of the past remain. The qualities of a warrior are what must be emulated in the life of a renaissance man. Courage, physical strength, determination and endurance prove testament of this way. These qualities must not be lost. We may not be fighting in hand to hand combat, but the world has not forgotten the warriors of the past. Much like the scholar, the warriors of the past have shaped the world as we know it and in order to become one that will carve out the future.

The Way of the Philosopher

From Socrates to Plato to Aristotle wisdom has been passed from master to pupil throughout history. These men provide a mere snapshot in the ways that wisdom has been passed down from generation to generation throughout the ages. The one thing that all wise men share is the their pursuit of wisdom. In fact, that is precisely what philosophy means — the love of wisdom! Renaissance men have ability to think and act using knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense and insight. Wisdom is associated with attributes such as unbiased judgment, compassion, experiential self-knowledge, self-transcendence and non-attachment, and virtues such as ethics and benevolence. In order to attain the wisdom that is so highly sought after by so many, one must seek it earnestly. Wisdom is the result of having lived. The amount of wisdom is indicative of the abundance of the life that was lived. Trying new things and expanding your comfort zone can lead to one being wise. However, in order to become a true philosopher, one must be engaged in all things while being consumed by nothing.

The Way of the Artist

The traditional view of an artist is one that exploits their creativity in a trade for the provision of their needs. The renaissance offered great works of art, but this does not mean that one must paint like Leonardo Da Vinci or sculpt like Michelangelo in order to master the way of the artist. The artist finds beauty where others may find none. Renaissance men must have the ability to look at the world and see a beautiful tapestry among seemingly ordinary and mundane scenery. Artists can be eccentric, impulsive, creative and passionate. These are the qualities that the renaissance man must implement in their lives to master the way of the artist.

Balance

The four ways: Scholar, Warrior, Philosopher, and Artist must go hand in hand. They cannot predominate the others. Instead these ways must balance one another. The Warrior without the strategy of the scholar is destined for folly. In the same way the Philosopher must learn to see the world like an artist in order to appreciate its beauty. Mastery of these four ways is not an end but rather a means to live a life more abundantly. Life as a renaissance man is within all of us and is not restricted to a specific affiliation or syndicate. It merely requires resurrection from the masculinity of the past.