(from 11/29/17)
It’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve written one of these. I’m gonna blame that on Thanksgiving being last week, not me running out of steam on this already. I will admit, though, that I found it kind of hard to start putting words down just now. But things seem to be flowing now, so I guess it’s just a matter of repetition, practice. That’s the whole reason I’m writing this in the first place, isn’t it?
I’ve been thinking about the subject of my blog and, perhaps as importantly, what I’m going to name it. One of the things I had considered, before I settled on music as the launching pad, was my desire to use what I created to make the world a better place. Shut up, I don’t care if that sounds corny. Those who know me know that I’m very politically and socially minded. But I don’t want to just write a political blog, be another asshole shouting my agenda into a sea of voices (no offense, if that’s your thing.) Besides, there’s so much more happening all around us that’s contributing to the state of the world as it is. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve had more time to both learn about history and watch current events unfold, and I’m starting see our time – the start of the 21st century- for the unique, pivotal even, time that it represents for mankind. As a civilization, we’re at a crossroads – our technology is advancing exponentially, our cultures are melding like never before, and our politics are going through seismic shifts. What we do (and don’t do) in our lifetimes will determine the course of human history for centuries to come. I want to try to understand these changes, and do whatever I can do to see that we are equipped, as the inheritors and current stewards of this world, to set the best possible trajectory forward.
As you read through that last paragraph, you may have thought about another pivotal era in human history: the Renaissance – the bridge between the Middle Ages and Modern History. A new age of intellectualism was drawing, and with it – not only a new way of seeing the world, but a new understanding of humanity’s limitless capacity to develop both mind and body as far as we will ourselves to go. Arts, architecture, literature, philosophy, sciences, scholarly pursuits and technological advancements all flourished. Forward thinkers in Italy transitioned past the old system of feudalism, followed by other European countries in the centuries following. Ideas and knowledge spread faster than ever, thanks to the invention of the printing press. If the Middle Ages were dark, the Renaissance was the light at the end of the tunnel. This wasn’t the only time this had happened, by the way – there’ve been other periods in history where civilization was going through radical changes. Thousands of years earlier, advancements in sailing and navigation allowed ancient cultures bordering the Mediterranean to establish trade and begin the free flow of ideas between the Greeks, Egyptians, Romans, Etruscans, Phoenicians and others. But I digress…
Look at the world today. In our lifetimes, we’ve witnessed the invention of another technology which allows ideas to spread between cultures faster than they ever have before, just like the printing press before it, and I’m sure I don’t even need to tell you what it is. Now, for the first time ever, ideas can spread around the world in the blink of an eye. And if that isn’t amazing enough, anyone using it has access to almost the entire wealth of knowledge collected by our species throughout human civilization. Think about that for a second – virtually everything that’s ever been known, at your fingertips. That is a power that is truly awesome, in the original sense of the word. And like many advancements of the past, countless other breakthroughs and innovations have resulted from it (ex. – look at the way apps are revolutionizing the tech industry). It’s kind of crazy when you think about how integral it’s become to our daily lives in the last two decades – as necessary a utility as water and electricity. But don’t me started on that…
Make no mistake, we will see the internet change the planet, and every person on it, in our lifetimes. (And we were lucky enough to be there from the beginning.) We’ve already seen the enormous impact it’s had on businesses and the economy; what else is yet to come? What will the next generation of inventors and entrepreneurs, kids who’ve grown up with the internet and had it their entire lives, bring us? How will our society and cultures of the world change, now that our governments can no longer stop us from freely communicating with each other? …and how will those governments react? How will we treat each other? And how will we treat ourselves?
…
I truly believe that 21st century can be the start of another Renaissance age for humanity. But it’s not our divine right, it’s not just going to be given to us. We need to build it- with each person, and our all of our lives and our experiences and our interactions, as the bricks and mortar. And while sitting here, pontificating on a bunch of new age bullshit while simultaneously indulging in my desire to ramble on to anyone who’ll listen about any topic currently on my mind, would be really easy, that would only be serving some selfish need for attention. But I don’t want this blog to be about me. I want this blog to be about you, and the people you affect in your life, and the kind of future we all build together.
You know that John Mayer song, Waiting For the World to Change? The music and vocals sound nice and everything, but I’ve always hated the message. I hate the idea that you can end up living in a better world just by sitting around and waiting for it to happen. In that respect, I much prefer Michael Jackson’s Man In the Mirror. You know – If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change. That message can’t be any clearer, so I’m asking us all, myself included, to change our ways.
BCH
The Next Renaissance 