The Wrong Track is the Right Track to the Renaissance
I just read the following on the blog of the wonderful Ben Casnocha. It was sent to him by his friend David Cummins:
Some people believe the modern Renaissance Man is an investment banker who likes to ride horses on his weekends off or take a wine tasting course. That’s not a Renaissance Man, that’s a guy with a hobby. A Renaissance man is someone that can see trends and patterns and is able to integrate what he already knows. A Renaissance Man is curious and interested in different things. You have to be willing to ‘waste time’ on things that are not directly related to your work because you are curious. But then you are able to, sometimes unconsciously, integrate them back into what you do.
Ben isn’t exactly clear whether Cummins wrote this or just forwarded it; but whoever it was, it struck a chord.
This is me exactly.
I’ve been looking for a way to conceptualise what a modern Renaissance Man is for some time. Clearly, if Leonardo Da Vinci (the quintessential Renaissance Man) were alive today, he would not be cutting up bodies and designing parachutes. I believe his life would be much more like that described above.
An example from my life:
I really like learning how to use a computer. I’ve always done little bits of programming and learnt how to use new bits of software. Recently I came across a Content Management System called Drupal — a system one uses to easily update content on a website. I was originally interested in finding a way to keep easy track of my self improvement endeavours. Instead, the more I’ve learnt about it, the more I’ve realised I can use it for creating a community site for my main interest — improving human abilities.
Everything I do seems to eventually feed back into this subject. Sometimes I go wildly off-track, but eventually it becomes useful. I guess, in a way, this blog is my opportunity to get off track.