Written By Lalnundika Darlong
Hundreds of years ago, the thought of travelling the world with a laptop and working remotely from a cafe in Thailand or some other dream destination while an unthinkable amount of money is credited to your bank account would be unfathomable because laptops, cafes and online banking systems didn't exist back then. While this wasn't possible due to the non-existence of the required resources back then, we sure as hell have them now.
These three exist independently, however, the context under which most people want them to is still a pipedream, although it no longer needs to be that way. The plethora of digital technologies that have emerged in recent times has transformed every aspect of our lives from our entertainment, information consumption, and communication to even our relationships and money-making ventures.
This article does not aim to provide a comprehensive guide, it simply aims to envision new horizons for you to explore and develop an interest which may or may not be conventional. Now, let's take a glimpse at the namesake of the title and explore its history, before getting to the meat.
What was the Renaissance?
The Renaissance, meaning 'Rebirth' in French, was a tremendously transformative period in history, marked by a burst of creativity and innovation that forever changed the way we think about the world. It was a time when art, science and culture flourished and new ideas were encouraged, embraced and explored without any constraints. Artists like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci redefined the way we think about art, creating masterpieces that continue to influence and inspire us to this day. Meanwhile, scientists like Galileo and Copernicus revolutionised our understanding of the universe, paving the way for modern astronomy and physics.
The Renaissance was about more than just art and science – it was also a time of great social and cultural upheaval. The Renaissance was fueled by a renewed interest in the classical teachings of ancient Greece and Rome through the rediscovery of ancient manuscripts which were then translated by 14th-century scholars leading to the ignition of a new generation of learners with a tenacious drive to fuel their curiosity and learn about the world that we live in.
This transition to a new world with new thinkers did not happen overnight, in fact, it was the result of minuscule changes spanning over 900 years since the fall of the Roman Empire in 500 AD referred to as "The Dark Ages" when depression, death and decadent progression were the highlights of human existence. While the details have opposing views from historians, the rudimentary idea that this period had slower progression and proper records is uncontested and was described as a time when "men of intellectual prowess as living cloaked in darkness" by Petrarch who played a crucial role in the initiation of the Renaissance.
Aside from the rediscovery of ancient texts, two other key foundational developments were leading to the world's metamorphosis, one was the growth in trade & commerce as a result of new trade routes opening allowing different forms of technology and ideas to spread across the globe and the other catalyst was the reign of the churches. The churches led to the spread of beliefs and education all around the globe unconventionally by the authorization of crusades causing people of all cultures to exchange their thoughts and provide new perspectives to one another. The Church also supported the development of universities and monasteries, which became important centres of learning and intellectual exchange during the Renaissance further leading to the great emphasis on education and the spread of humanist ideals.
How does Any of this Matter?
You may be wondering why there's a history lesson slammed into an article about the digital era and that's understandable, however, it will all make sense in due time. Looking back at the fundamental factors of the Renaissance we see four main components; an abundance of knowledge, the spread of culture, new trade & commercial prospects and finally the unbound pursuit of the other three components with creativity and curiosity. In today's day and age, society is replete with the first three and whether we like it or not they exist independently of us as individuals. The final factor is only in the possession of a select few people who go above and beyond the norm and achieve the life that they yearn for.
If we look around us, we'll see that the opportunities for us to capitalise on are endless, especially in the modern world where we have access to more resources than we can fathom. The internet will turn 40 years old in 2023 and while that seems like a pretty long time, it is insignificant in comparison to its impact keeping in mind that the number of internet users has increased exponentially in the past 20 years from 5% of the world population using it at the beginning of this century to 70% in 2022. These figures are still trending upwards with half a million new people joining the masses every single day. The world population during the Renaissance was less than one-sixteenth of the current number yet the influence that the people had back then not only resurrected their society but also led to the Age of Enlightenment and their reverberations are still prevalent in our lives today through their artworks & scientific breakthroughs.
With all the resources at our disposal, the only missing link for you to join the Digital Renaissance is your unwavering will to find these assets and mould them in your own way and create a digital identity that can be felt throughout your desired niche.
What Are the "Resources at your Disposal"?
While all of us use social media and binge content of all sorts for hours on end, we also have the option to flip the script and deep dive into the treasure troves available on the internet, some of which are ubiquitous on all the social platforms that we're on.
YouTube has countless known and unknown thesis-grade videos that can parallel several paid courses and the curriculum of standard education. If we look hard enough then we can find hidden posts on places such as Reddit leading to unlisted videos containing knowledge unfound elsewhere.
Paid and free courses by professionals of all fields are prevalent everywhere now on platforms such as Masterclass, Skillshare and Udemy so it's simply a matter of sifting through the sand to find the diamonds. We can find reviews in the form of comments or full-on breakdown videos before committing to a course which completely negates the risk amplified by money-back guarantees. If we're being truly honest then a person can get most courses for free using undisclosable methods as long as they have the tenacity to learn so while we do not condone this approach, it is undeniably a viable option for those limited only by financials.
While the prospect of learning Computer Science at IITs brings awe to the faces of countless Indians, how would you react to being able to access Harvard's Flagship CS50 course which contains the exact coding curriculum as it is taught at Harvard and Yale for absolutely free? Well, regardless of how you reacted, the course benefits millions globally every year and the certificate's value is unknown but the value of the lectures is priceless and ahead of anything you can pay for.
This is one of the endless arrays of courses provided by Ivy League colleges regardless of your education level that you can access for zilch. Quick learning tip: Don't feel pressured to finish a book or course from beginning to end as long as you have absorbed the main components, because there is always additional fluff that you can simply skim through.
How Can You Turn Knowledge into Cash?
Once you have sufficiently basked in learning the skills you desire, you can capitalize on them and approach the life presented in the first sentence of this article. A few of the infinite possibilities are:
1. Any Form of Internet Fame: While thousands of people are joining the fray daily and the market appears saturated, there are still several niches for us to enter. Aside from starting YouTube channels, one can take advantage of other country-specific platforms such as Weibo in China and Vkontakte in Russia and gain access to less competitive markets. There are enough people in the world for you to find a coterie to express yourself to and gain a higher social standing. With some patience and help from algorithm-oriented SEO, you can easily start trending in niche spaces and monetize your content.
2. Using the Skills Directly: You can use each skill individually to freelance on sites like Fiverr and Upwork or use an amalgamation of several to start your agency and grow it over time. The latter takes inspiration from Shakespeare's quote, "Jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one" and in modern times knowing several skills is a prerequisite to stand out. After attaining a certain level of mastery, one can also teach on the very platforms that he learnt from or create their own websites and courses.
3. Making your Money Make More Money: Once revenue starts rolling in you gain the prerogative of compound interest. Aside from standard stocks and mutual funds which undoubtedly produce great returns coupled with bonuses and dividends, one can also explore the nascent world of crypto posing the greatest risks with the potential for the greatest returns.
For those who wish to invest in real estate, yet are limited by the capital requirements, REITs allow you to buy a portion of some properties to enjoy capital appreciation and high dividend rates for the price of a sandwich. Even the luxury painting space was once thought to be limited to only the top 0.1% of people, but with the genesis of companies like MasterWorks, all of us can now feel included in the elite class regardless of our investment size.
Optimistic Warning
The surface of this Digital Renaissance iceberg hasn't even been scratched and we can all look forward to this global rebirth which will give rise to a third Industrial Revolution of sorts. When the eleventh-hour strikes, you can either be one of the frontmen or another simple bystander. Another opportune time period is unlikely to present itself once the world catches on and AI replaces our jobs one by one. The transition from the Dark Ages can be summed up by Lenin who said, "There are decades where nothing happens, and there are weeks where decades happen.", you have all that you need to make those decades happen so let's leave mediocracy to revolutionise the digital era.
CITATIONS
1. Miniwatts Marketing Group, "INTERNET GROWTH STATISTICS", 31 July 2022, https://www.internetworldstats.com/emarketing.htm#links
2. Datareportal, "Global Digital Review", 31 Oct. 2022, https://datareportal.com/global-digital-overview
3. Elias Beck, "Causes of the Renaissance", 25 March 2022 https://www.historycrunch.com/causes-of-the-renaissance.html#/
4. Daniel Araya, "Coming Digital Renaissance" 14 April 2022 https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielaraya/2020/04/14/the-coming-digital-renaissance/?sh=44c 820ed759d