Are you a humanist? What do you value the most for your achievements? I found out that I am 83% humanist through our humanities unit, Renaissance. Humanists back in the Renaissance (14th-17th century) valued certain elements. Those include secularism, individualism, Greek and Roman influences (the hyperlink has more information about it), culture and thought combining, and achievements. These eventually made the Renaissance revive in academic ways, such as philosophies and art.

In my opinion, the most unrelatable element for me was “Secularism.” Secularism is a term used to refer to the separation of you and your religion/belief. By separating yourself from a certain frame, it allows you to flourish their hidden ideas more. Back in the Renaissance, to find their true identity, Renaissance thinkers distanced themselves from their religious thoughts. Eventually, it led them to appreciate their physical beauty, achievements, and expressions. It even influenced them. However, since I have neither of them in my daily life, I couldn’t relate to it.

The most relatable one was “Greek and Romans.” Back in that era, the Renaissance revived from the Dark Ages by developing Greek and Roman cultures. The developments include art and architects, the most remarkable elements of the Renaissance. I thought it relates to me a lot, especially when I find a cool outfit on Pinterest. For example, when I find a cute picture of a person with a pretty outfit, I recreate a similar look with my clothes but with some twists to make it into my unique style. As a result, it gives a similar mood but different looks.

I rated each element depending on its effect. For example, I gave 5/5 for achievements because I genuinely thought that supporting one’s achievement regardless of social standings made them develop together as a community by sharing more ideas. Likewise, I rated the other ones by considering followed-up consequences during the Renaissance.

To sum up, without those five elements, Renaissance civilization would not have flourished as much as back in the time.

 

Citation

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Renaissance”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Oct. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/event/Renaissance. Accessed 24 October 2023.