Quo Vadis?

Explore about the renaissance - in history and what it means in the modern world - and ask yourself 'Where am I going' with this article by Raghav Pathak.

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‘Quo Vadis?’

quo vadis? in British

Latin (ˈkwəʊ ˈvɑːdɪs)

Where are you going?

A cycle of the death and rebirth of ideas and ideologies, of cultures and thought. Tireless revolution.

The renaissance, by definition, is said to be a period that housed the birth of new ideologies and forms of expression within Europe between the 14thand 17thcenturies, signaling the end of the medieval era, the beginning of what has come to be called the transitional age. Yet, the question must be posed: has the transitional era ended?Most would state the obvious. The beginning of the industrial revolution within Europe in the 18thcentury began the modern age, one that birthed the creation of new technologies that formed the base for the world we live in today. Using that specified logic, it would seem almost absurd to even begin to think that the planet we reside upon in this day and age is anything but the modern world.

Some, however, may contradict this opinion. The term ‘modern’ is subjective to the era in which the term is used. Two hundred years into the future, studies may showcase the 21stcentury itself to be a period of renaissance, of cultural revolution, of political transition, of religious upheaval. These people may state that the ‘modern world’ is something humans will find impossible to reach. That the world shall continue to remain in this constant state of evolution, until the time life ceases to exist.

As such, the inclination toward the latter seems rather inevitable. Men and women continue to create and innovate, mold and transform. Living beings continue to progress and adapt, new cultures and schools of thought spring from minds like trees from the earth, feeding and growing from the fertile soil that may only be called the human brain. The myriads of cultures we have created meld, form new beliefs and ideologies. Creation never ends, Conflict never ends, Oppression never ends, Rebellion never ends, and thus, growth never ends. The world is constantly in transition, an everlasting era of revolution, and humanity will continue to evolve throughout the ages. We remain in flux, producing constant creation, and never-ending change.

Now, if the term Renaissance is compared to change, one may argue that all this phenomenon does is incite chaos, disorder, revolution, violence, war, death.

Take the French Revolution, for example. In the late 1700’s, people from the lowest dredges of society rose up against the monarchy. The cause of this rebellion was the culmination of years of starvation and deprivation under French rulers and noblemen. The peasants painted for themselves an ideal reality, one free from discrimination and bigotry, of equal opportunity, of better economic conditions. It was not to be. Without the presence of an established governmental body, France descended further into chaos and corruption, a state that Napoleon capitalized upon, soon becoming dictator of a new era of pseudo-monarchal control.

This poses but another question: if change incites chaos, why is this rebirth, this renaissance, so important?

Imagine a ‘perfect’ world. A utopian society, one that has reached the pinnacle of scientific, technological innovation. Imagine a society, filled to the brim with people whose every need has been cared for, a society that has known nothing but comfort. On the surface, the idea seems almost perfect, beautiful, even. Yet, if one examines the intricacies of the mindset of these humans, they would find a severe lack of need, of the will to create. And where there is no invention, there is stagnation. Where stagnation occurs, people begin to rot. For human wants are infinite, and when the ability to satisfy that want is unavailable, and the need to innovate has disappeared, chaos ensues. When there is no progress, in terms of social status or cultural advancement, the people begin to express dissatisfaction, an emotion that slowly, but surely, turns to rage. As rage takes over, logic is left behind. There is no driving force, no ideology to back, and no wrongs to right. There remains nothing but the primitive, animalistic behavior that has been repressed and contained for so long. That world, crumbles.

This is one hypothetical situation, but the point itself is made clear. Stagnation leads to impatience, which leads to dissatisfaction, breeding mindless rebellion, that slowly dissolves into absolute chaos. The French revolution is replayed, endlessly. Not because of revolution, not because of rebirth, but because of the lackof them. A French revolution is played, but one without a cause.

And this brings us to our conclusion: while rebirth and revolution and the renaissance have negative connotations placed upon them, while they may breed chaos and destruction, they are essential. Because without them, the world brings itself to a standstill. Society breaks apart and the chaos that ensues then, has no point to it. No driving force, no motivation. Mindlesschaos, in contrast to structuredchaos. Death, with no rebirth to follow.

So, Quo Vadis? Where are you going? The answer is but one, and must remain so, to ensure the continued survival of humankind. We move toward renaissance, we move toward creation, we move toward a future that will birth ideas that will bring about the rise of greater possibilities, new cultures. To a world that continues to evolve, andgrow, and fall apart, all at the same time. To a world of intoxicating, beautifully thought out, chaos.

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Written By Raghav Pathak