For the uninitiated, the term Renaissance Man may bring about images of fairs filled with candied apples and flower crowns or old Italian men, but he is far more important than cheesy t-shirts and expensive paintings.
The Renaissance Man (also known as the Polymath or Homo Universalis) is a term fading just as much as the concept that it represents.
Back before schools made you pick a major and parents panicked over their kids getting jobs, people like Leonardo da Vinci and Eratosthenes were inventing these fields of study. Astronomers, engineers, musicians, artists, these guys were all of these things—and more.
I spent my entire childhood convinced that I would one day become an astrophysicist. I loved the cosmos and that was what I was going to do with my life. I soon realized that I needed to be good at math to reach this goal, and that is something that I am not. Instead, I chose a major that doesn’t involve much math in order to avoid failing my courses.
When I applied to schools, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life (and to be honest, I’m still not exactly sure). I wanted to major in linguistics, business, nutrition, graphic design, and so many more. I still do. I want to know how to deliver babies and program computers and grow my own food; everything interests me. Sadly, to pursue all of those things at once in a college setting would cost a lot of time and money.
While most people don’t have the money, we do have a lot more of something than da Vinci: time. Humans are now living longer than ever—almost 80 years on average. Most of us will spend four to eight of those years in college—that leaves us more than 70 years to learn all that we can. How to change a tire, how to fly a plane, how to speak Swahili. It’s all possible!
What’s more, we now have access to an almost infinite fountain of information—instantly. Websites like Coursera and Open2Study have a plethora of courses that everyone can take for free. Community culinary classes, public flight lessons, or your friendly neighborhood carpenter can help you learn hands on as well.
So my question now is: why not learn everything? Sure, a major is great for the field you want to work in, but just because you are formally studying marketing doesn’t automatically mean you can’t dabble in animal husbandry.
Let’s bring back the Renaissance Man–and Woman—and do what we love. All of it.
