Trying to be human

“Finding yourself” is a common enough term today. I would say most people are interested in introspective pondering and working to figure out what makes them feel content and fulfilled. This type of thinking also abounded in the Renaissance. Rather than think only what they were told to think and do what they had to do to survive, people in the Renaissance began to think about the world and themselves in different ways than ever before.

Michel de Montaigne, the first essayist.

A leader in this art was the writer Montaigne. He wrote about his daily life, musing about one topic or another, basically recording his thoughts on paper. These writings he coined “essais” after the French word “essayer,” meaning “to try.” Montaigne’s musings were attempts to understand himself and his world, and they often delved into ideas that were deeper than their titles.

People read Montaigne’s essays and were amazed to see the situations they had experienced and feelings they had felt written so brilliantly. A line from We Taste Nothing Purely reads “In sadness there is some alloy of pleasure.” I know exactly the feeling he is talking about, but I would never have even thought to put it into words. His essays also opened people’s minds to new ideas, which was an integral aspect of the Renaissance. On Cannibals, for example, explores the idea that the cannibals Montaigne met in Brazil could be more moral than the “civilized” people of Europe.

The desire to put everyday thoughts and experiences into words never died out; Montaigne has influenced writers for centuries. Personal essays of today still exhibit that humanistic exploration of self. Joyas Voladoras, written in 2004 by the late Brian Doyle, contemplates the heart. “We are utterly open with no one in the end—not mother and father, not wife or husband, not lover, not child, not friend. We open windows to each but we live alone in the house of the heart. Perhaps we must.”

It’s certainly a testament to humanist ideals that, after all this time of people exploring what it means to be human, we’re still trying to figure it out.

Image credit: Portrait of Michel de Montaigne, circa unknown by unknown author is in the public domain.

I'm Not Sorry

French-Allied Native Americans https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_Americans_in_the_United_States#/media/File:A_Battle_of_the_French-Indian_War.jpg

After observing the American Natives that his fellow countrymen had referred to as barbarous savages, Michel de Montaigne comments:

I am not sorry we note the barbarous horror of such an action, but grieved that, prying so narrowly into their faults, we are so blinded in ours.

He is not sorry to have come all this way to a new world. He is not sorry to note the differences between his culture and the culture of the Natives. He is not sorry to be slightly horrified by the traditions of these new people. He is sorry, however that those same rules that make him comfortable in Europe, urge him to discredit the traditions he is now seeing.

One tradition of the Natives was to eat the prisoners of war. While this throws up huge moral red flags for anyone outside of the tradition, someone to whom it is commonplace might be surprised that we are so taken aback by it when we have many forms of savagery of our own.

I really appreciate that Montaigne is not justifying the actions of the Natives, simply stating that we should refrain from judgment until we have carefully examined our own faults.

This is reminiscent of the Christian idea of motes and beams. Christ taught in Matthew 7:3:

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

 I think his idea of making sure Europeans are not ignoring their own societal flaws shows a counter thought to the general humanism of the Renaissance. Where others say "What a piece of work is man!", Montaigne argues "What a piece of trash is man". And he's not sorry.

The Best of all Possible Worlds

It is fascinating that following the black plague in Europe, where nearly a third of the population died, the great thinkers of the renaissance put humans at the center of a universe created for them. Pico della Mirandola said,

I feel that I have come to some understanding of why man is the most fortunate of living things and, consequently, deserving of all admiration...

This idea that man is the most fortunate of all beings, despite the clear evils around characterized the great hope of the humanists in the 15th century.

A map of Guina by Jodocus Hondius (1598)

 It led to great explorations, pushing the boundaries into brave new worlds created for us, the humans. They exaggerated tales, but it seems like they truly did believe that this was the best of worlds, and that humans were at the center of it all. This seed of an idea idea of a best of all possible worlds stuck with humanity. The 17th century philosopher  Leibniz believed it, and argued that God has done all he can for us.

In the present, we have lost sight of mans place in the world. We look at the evils around us, the fighting and disease and wonder how we could be the "most fortunate of all living things". This attitude however was what carried Europe away the dark ages, above the awful plague, and across the oceans. If we too wish to conquer the evils of our day, rising above as a voyagers to brave new worlds, we too must live with the belief that we have been blessed, that we have the agency and ability to change our circumstances. Only then can we arrive at our El Dorado.

"That Man Might Know the Joys of Creation"

France Bacon said, “We should note the force, effect, and consequences of inventions which are nowhere more conspicuous than in those three which were unknown to the ancients, namely printing, gunpowder, and the compass.  For these three have changed the appearance and state of the whole world."  The creation of the printing press literally changed the world.  It had a profound effects on education, religion, society, and even human thought.  Many facets of life began to advance forward, as it enabled a more efficient flow of information and literature.  Because of this invention, there was a large spread of ideas, both religious and secular. The literacy rates of the time sky-rocketed, and the common-man began to share in ideas and flow of information that he was not previously accustomed to. 

Thomas S. Monson, former president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints, made the following statement regarding creation.  “God left us the world unfinished for man to work his skill upon. He left the electricity in the cloud, the oil in the earth. He left the rivers unbridged and the forests unfelled and the cities unbuilt. God gives to man the challenge of raw materials, not the ease of unfinished things. He leaves the pictures unpainted and the music unsung and the problems unsolved, that man might know the joys of creation.”  These words ring true today, and have since the beginning of time.  Each time we invent, we increase our capacity to feel joy!  There have been many inventions throughout the ages, but there have been a few, like the printing press, that have made a remarkable cultural and social impact on the world. 

Exploring our Lives

Why do we explore? What is the reason for our drive to discover new things?

To be fair, some people don't have it.  I'm often just comfortable sitting on my couch while I watch Netflix.  Not very adventurous, to be sure. 

Gratefully, there were a few people in the Renaissance who didn't share my love of dull entertainment.  They weren't content with the things they had. They had a burning drive to discover new things and bring themselves glory, wealth, and success.  These adventurers came from all corners of the world to seek out new opportunities, and they let nothing get in the way of their ultimate success and prestige! Unfortunately, this led to many negative consequences as well, including the spread of disease, and much bloodshed, to name just a couple. 

Thankfully, today we don't kill other people to bring glory to ourselves and to our country. That is a very, very, good thing.  But I would also submit that we don't do as much exploring.  We aren't as driven as a Christopher Columbus, or a Ferdinand Magellan.  

Just because there aren't any new lands to discover doesn't mean we shouldn't spend time discovering new opportunities in our own personal lives! 

So get up. Get out there. Turn off YouTube. And do some exploring.

A Time of Black and White Thinking

Right and wrong, intelligent and unlearned, holy or heathen. Going off of what was mentioned in Of Cannibals by Michel de Montaigne, there seemed to have been a pervasive idea that there was absolutely a right way and a wrong way to live life. Cultures that differed from the monolithic towers of Catholic religion and Roman philosophy were regarded as refuse if regarded at all. For a time that is considered so forward thinking, there was a lot of tribal belligerence plaguing the masses. Montaigne’s essay seeks to delve into the lives of so called savages and help set them on a similar plane with others, but this was not normal, hence the essay is looked back at as controversial for its time.

     Today, similar thought patterns seem to be creeping back into society and modern “tribes” begin to emerge. Take political discourse for example, there are fewer and fewer people willing to compromise for a general consensus, and more and more people who will unabashedly shame someone, no matter their character or demeanor, simply because they have not chosen the obvious high road. I think that it is vitally important to take from the Renaissance the zeal for learning and history, but I also think we should be careful not to emulate the pompous pride that plagued society as a whole in that time period.

Utopia or Adversity?

A society free of war, contention and all manner of strife and at the same time, being filled with all the best parts of humanity, ranging from art to engineering is an appealing notion. Who wouldn't want to live in a place where there is no want of food, where one wouldn't need to worry for their children's safety, and where one can pursue art or writing or music instead of taking a sword up for the defense of the state. Utopia's have always had a place in the hearts and minds of the great thinkers. A place where one is free to think and craft ideas has a nice ring to it, but is it as good as it seems? Are there problems in this problem-less society?



Adversity is a necessary part of life, it allows for personal and national growth. Competition and a need to provide urge thinkers and engineers to invent and create business. In a society with all needs being met, where would one receive the prodding to push the bounds of humanity. With endless comfort and safety, where could man grow? A Utopia is a nice idea, but mankind requires adversity to reach their full potential. Just as coal would never become a diamond if left to sit on a pillow, mankind would never amount to something more beautiful if left unchecked by adversity.