Should you really negotiate with the devil?
Is it worth being a Renaissance person in the 21st century?
As any Literature student, I was on pins and needles even with the thought of graduation. Studied literature, oh that’s just great? You are an intellectual with a diploma now, congrats! It is a fact that with a diploma in literature you can do a lot however, the problem is that there is not a single clear path already drawn for you.
With all kinds of alternatives “best-case scenarios” “worst-case scenarios” “if this happens then that scenarios” in my mind, I spent my university years trying to fill up my resume to the fullest, starting from plan A to Z. I learned different languages, I did various internships and volunteer work. I graduated in 2010 but I just couldn’t stop. I have learned more languages, studied at 2 different master’s degrees, worked at 3 jobs at the same time, I’ve taken dance classes, acting lessons… Today, after 10 years from my graduation with all this equipment I have covered myself with, I STILL don’t know what I want to be when I GROW UP.
What is wrong with me?
Let me tell you what is wrong. Come take a walk with me down memory lane. It was my second year at university when I took a course that did not change my life but helped me diagnose my problem. It was Renaissance 101. So, let me just put on my literature person cloak and prove to you how my condition relates to Renaissance literature.
Selling your soul to the devil
Many years, even ages ago, Europe experienced a bright, sparkling period of art and knowledge; the Renaissance. After the darkness of the Middle ages, people just couldn’t get enough of it. They wanted more and more.
This insatiable nature for knowledge sets the tone of Doctor Faustus, the most famous play of Christopher Marlowe. If you haven’t heard of him before it is because he died at the age of 29 at a lousy bar fight before he could produce more works. According to literary authorities, he would have outreached Shakespeare if he hadn’t died so young. There are also many theories suggesting that Marlowe was actually Shakespeare, or Shakespeare was Marlowe or.. Whatever… you’ve got the picture and that is the concern for higher academic arguments. Just know that Marlowe was a noteworthy playwright who wrote Doctor Faustus.
In the opening scene, Faustus complains about how he has mastered so many intellectual fields that there is nothing left for him. Having learned philosophy, medicine, law, and theology, Doctor Faustus grows dissatisfied with the limits of traditional forms of knowledge. Very understandable… Happens to me every day.
His dissatisfaction levels up to the degree that he is willing to sell his soul to the devil; Lucifer. Just to know more and be able to practice magic Faustus offers his soul to the devil in exchange for 24 years of magic practice. Because of his universal desire for enlightenment, Faustus makes a contract for knowledge and power. In the purest sense, Faustus wants to prove that he can become greater than what he already is.
Making sense of Faustus
When I first read Doctor Faustus, I saw that Doctor Faustus and I shared the same symptoms. I did not have the desire to practice magic and rule the world like he did (actually that would be super cool). But other than that we were suffering from the same tragedy. The scholars’ definition for it was Renaissance Man:
a person who has wide interests and is expert in several areas
Take Leonardo da Vinci for example, whose areas of interest included invention, painting, sculpting, architecture, science, music, mathematics, engineering, literature, anatomy. Then, there is Niccolò Machiavelli who was an Italian Renaissance historian, politician, diplomat, philosopher, humanist, and writer. Or Erasmus, the man who is turning over in his grave as his name is used as a cover for drunk European youth was actually a Renaissance humanist, Catholic priest, social critic, teacher, and theologian. We got it, boys, you were awesome.
I also want to be awesome! That’s the closest answer I can provide to the question: What are you going to be now that you are a grown-up? -I am going to be a Renaissance woman! And I am going to be awesome!
Can you become a Renaissance man in the 21st century?
There are many who argue that the world today is just too complicated for anyone to be a polymath. Unlike the 16th century when there was yet to be discovered, today there is far too much to learn. They might have a point. Together with the Information Age, the amount of knowledge and content available one can access has exploded.
However, the same Information age also offers an abundance of free or affordable content from the world’s top experts. Actually, this is the golden era for people who love learning. With all-new mediums- blogs, podcasts, online courses- there is simply no room for excuses.
Should you sell your soul to the devil? Seriously?
An unquenchable curiosity for knowledge and everlasting love of learning will bring you a fantastic journey. Having a well-rounded education will help you have a more holistic view of the world. And you will be able to tie together things that other people cannot possibly see. Harnessing a vast array of skills is a blessing. You’ll find similarities between literature and algorithms or anatomy and arts. With all these links, you will see life through a kaleidoscope.
Being a Renaissance man can also be financially profitable. Creating a bizarre combination of two or more competencies can lead to a covetable skill set. It is also a well-known fact that individuals with a great appetite for learning are preferential when it comes to recruitment or promotions.
Where to start
The idea of becoming a modern Renaissance man can be overwhelming or you might think that boat has sailed. It’s never too late to pick up a new skill or competence to add to your portfolio.
The first thing to understand is that becoming a Renaissance man doesn’t happen overnight. It is a life’s journey of exploration and growth. So, be patient. Every step you take -big or small- will take you a bit closer to the goal.
It all starts with curiosity. Learn for the sake of learning and be open to new ideas and not stick to absolutes and dogmas. Absorb as much knowledge as possible in every field that interests you. Soon you will develop your own pattern of learning and happen on more areas to excel at.
Have an interest in the inner workings of your mind and heart. It was believed in the Renaissance that there was a connection between all the arts and sciences and that our material world was related to a world beyond the senses.
Remember, being a Renaissance is not about achieving perfection. It is about exceeding your so-called limits. Realizing your true potential.