Thinking about people who did some thinking

So, as anyone who follows me on any form of social media should know, I am still in Italy. Yesterday and today I had the opportunity to emerge myself in the Italian renaissance first had, exploring museums, saloons, and plazas. As much as I was blown away by the expertise, originality, and sheer artistic ability of these great thinkers as portrayed by their sculptures and paintings, I couldn't help but consider the Renaissance from a non-biased perspective. After an hour or so of contemplation and discussion with my brother, here is what I have decided.

The Renaissance, the largest and arguably the most important revolution of ideas, was started by five guys sitting around a bar talking about ideas they stole from a civilization that lived centuries before them. Every museum I went to showed the revival of pagan ideas and expressed how these artists were so in awe of the ancient Greeks. When I heard things like this, I pictured Bernini sneaking into Athens and smuggling statues out under his toga so he could try to replicate them. I pictured Da Vinci saying to Michelangelo, "hey, man. So I've been thinking about this body I've got. You think I should draw it?" as they bonded over a couple of beers. I pictured Martin Luther and Thomas More and John Calvin gathering in Florence, having a couple too many drinks, and spitting out angry comments about their local priests as a young Des Prez sits nearby, wailing about how the music is too noisy. Now, I in know way aim to undermined the genius, importance, and veneration of the renaissance, but when I think of all of the things that a couple of saloon-bound men could accomplish, it makes me wonder what is stopping the rest of us from getting together, thinking, and starting the next great philosophical movement.


On a completely unrelated, yet equally as important note, I hope you will notice the attached picture to this post. I climbed the Spanish Steps in high heels. If that doesn't scream Girl Power, I am not sure anything would.