Thursday, May 26, 2011

Higher Ground

As a Baptist that has been going to church all my life, I have many times heard the pastor say, “If you remember nothing else from what I said, remember this...” I feel like I had one of those moments today in class. I remember talking about many things, but when we started discussing Giovanni Pico della Mirandola's Oration on the Dignity of Man, I became particularly engaged. Pico discussed many great topics, but one of the biggest themes was, as humans, we can literally be whatever we wish to be. We just have to want it badly enough.

Humans have the flexibility and freedom of choice. We can move upward towards the angels or digress to animalistic behavior. So which way should we go? I believe that Pico encourages us to move towards the “sacred mysteries,” Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones (72). These are the very creatures that were created to serve the Creator and Pico suggests that, “If we have willed it, we shall be second to them in nothing” (72). This is a pretty strong statement considering Pico describes these beings as having “the fire of love,” “splendor of intelligence,” and “the steadfastness of judgement” (72). Pico challenges humans to emulate these beings and achieve total potential.

There are some clear central concepts in this except of the text. Pico begins this particular section with, “Let us disdain earthly things, [and] despise heavenly things” (72). I believe this is a good example of secularism. The focus is on the here and now, certainly not the afterlife. Pico does not want man to be the best possible to reserve a seat in the afterlife, he wants them to be good for their own sake. There is also a running theme of individualism, with Pico. He celebrates human life and gladly embraces the capabilities of mankind, while encouraging others to achieve heavenly potential. I hear very little humanism in this particular except, however there definitely is a focus on asking questions of the self: What are we truly capable of? How far are we willing to push ourselves? I also don't really hear any historical self-consciousness, however I do infer that Pico knew that he was living in a special time where humans were re-discovering just exactly what they are capable of.

Pico's challenge, while a bold one, is a beautiful one. I personality only want to move upwards, to become the best human being possible. If I want to become fluent in Italian, I can. I just have to want it and I just have to work towards it. And that is so much of my problem. I just want to settle with what comes easy to me instead of working towards something better. So I would like to take Pico up and see how far I can go.

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