Project Brunelleschi: The Second Renaissance

So, as I’m sure some of you are already aware, I have plans on generating a second renaissance, a renaissance for the 21st century.

A lofty goal, I know; but if it was possible in the past, then it is even more possible now with the technology of today.

The name of this project will be coined " Brunelleschi ". I chose that name, because B. was an architect during the renaissance, who assisted in developing the dome for the cathedral of Florence, which was a half-built structure ( missing the dome ). I feel like modernity is half-missing something too; it stands as an edifice to behold, with its technological grandeur; but the dome to seal it is lacking: the renaissance spirit of creativity. The art of today is bland, simple, pretentious, and absurd; the classical ethos of the renaissance, the looking back to the civilizations of Greece and Rome, is nowhere to be found. My aim is to re-generate that interest in the classical civilizations and to convey the honor and glory of living an examined life, full of productivity and creativity.

My means of accomplishing this goal:

1.) Speak at lectures about the beauty of an intellectual life

2.) Acquire donations from wealthy individuals, in order to fund artists and academics

The renaissance of the past was heavily funded by the wealthy Medici family. In order for this project to be successful, I will need to obtain funding. I will also need charismatic, competent, and passionate individuals, who can assist in promoting the cause.

I will add more details to this thread later.

Project Brunelleschi

Moved to Sandbox: announcement rather than philosophical discussion

I was going to add that part in, at a later time, hence my " I will add more details later ". It is a philosophical project and it belongs in the former section.

It actually sounds like a commercial. A fund raiser.

You will also need a means for people to forget the past (or what they currently believe it has been).

Starting Philosophical Eco-villages

Something I’ve been entertaining recently is the concept of eco-villages centered around a shared philosophy, in this case, the Brunelleschi project. Instead of the primary, or sole reason behind the creation of such villages being the reduction of our footprints, the main reason will be to cultivate an environment of creativity, a place where academics, mystics, artists, and philosophers can focus most of their energies on the pursuit of excellence, as opposed to mundane jobs and careers. The villages will be limited to about 20-30 people. These villages will be hierarchical in nature, unlike communes; people will have their own personal space, their own property, and the ability to move up the hierarchy latter. And food will be obtained through donations, farming, and gardening.

Mods, please delete the double posts and, if you won’t move it back to the philosophy section ( this thread ), move it to the off-topic section, in order to get more views.

Ok, pretend that I’m really wealthy and sell this to me. Why should I give my money to you instead of funding a grant for one of the many educational institutions available?

Why should you invest in project B.? I will tell you why, you fine young lady. You see, we have all these nice universities in America and around the world, prestigious educational institutions with state of the art technology. We have well-educated professors and copious amounts of students, who attend these institutions; but how many of these students are, actually, there, attending university, because they genuinely and passionately enjoy education? How many are there simply because it’s what they are expected to do and because it’s a means of acquiring a piece of paper stating they are qualified for specific careers? How many of those students are simply trust-fund babies, who like to take selfies and get shit-faced every other day at frat parties?

Unfortunately, the great majority of students at these colleges aren’t in the pursuit of excellence.

One of the key things wrong with the current education system is that it is too dull, too repetitive, too tedious. These universities are not about education; rather, they are about memorization and regurgitation. Many of the students yawn their way through college.

But with project B., I seek to change all of that. My associates and I will create a Copernican revolution in academia. Instead of offering degrees, and taking in people based on myopic written tests and income, we will screen out individuals based on their passion for knowledge and understanding. We will offer assistance and shelter to those people, who simply desire to maximize their potential, without mundane life getting in their way. Our communities will be filled with the very best — tight-knit communities, which get together and collaborate on producing works of art, literature, philosophy, etc. If you invest in project B., Phoneutria, I assure you that your money is going to be going towards the betterment of humanity, towards a better humanity.

Let’s make this happen.

I have been ready to do this since 2003, dude. Where have you been? I was going to build the Brunelleschi university compound on a plot of land bought by members of ILP and ILO. We were talking about meeting and everything. Nothing happened, so I struck out on my own, making contact with two old members of ILP: Silent Soliloquy and Joker. We didn’t have a university compound, but we did have a one bedroom studio apartment at the beach. Things went great in some ways, terrible in others, but that’s the way it’s supposed to go.

I can’t give you any philosophy for your curriculum nor could I maintain a professorship there, but I can build the place, so if there is going to be real estate involved in this project, draw up some plans and let me give you an estimate for material and labor.

Is this really an eco-village? Where exactly is it?

So I should give my money to you plus a bunch of other kids who think school is too boring?
Is that your sales pitch?
Where are you going to find all of these talented individuals, and why are they, in turn, going to give their time to you?

Can I see an example of your screening process?

I just want to see a large ego empty septic tanks or do any of the hundreds of gross chores it takes to keep a society clean and healthy. In one year there will be a servant’s quarters. A second class.

Phone wrote:

These ‘kids’ ( the ones in the villages ) don’t think school is too boring, far from it; education to them is nourishment; rather, the problem is that many of them are compelled to dedicate a large portion of their time and energy towards careers, which don’t really interest them, nor maximize their creative potential. Project Brunelleschi offers these great minds the opportunity to not only devote the bulk of their time towards creative thought, but to do so with other such individuals. You see, Phoneutria, many people across the world, especially in third world countries, simply do not have enough time to think, to be creative; they are forced to work hard, for most of the day, performing menial jobs that barely get them by. Project B. will provide not only an environment of excellence, but a new way of living, an alternative to the hustle-and-bustle of capitalistic societies, replete with cog-in-the-wheel specialized jobs. Project B. is a utopia for intellectuals, especially for those who struggle to get by and simply desire to be all they can be.

The screening process will be rigorous. Myself and a handful of carefully chosen colleagues, who have shown their passion and commitment to project B., will carry out the screening process. It won’t be difficult to identify those who don’t belong. What we will look for most are enthusiasm and passion.

Contact me via PM for my paypal information.

Sounds like it may be a scam, and due to your emphasis on ‘might is right’ and amorality in your philosophy I’m inclined to think that yes, it’s a scam. Your (bad) reputation precedes you, Erik :neutral_face:

  1. What makes you think that you’re more qualified to lecture than people who actually put time and effort into studying to obtain PhDs?
  2. If you would use the money you receive from donations to fund artists and academics, why don’t you link us the artists and academics you think deserve funding so WE can donate to them directly?
  3. Who is supposed to build villages and fund for everything? Is this something similar to what the Amish do, no technology and complete isolation from the rest of the civilization?
  4. How would the village hierarchy work and why does it matter?
  5. Do you really think only studying the past academics and artists and detaching from present civilization is the optimal way for people to evolve?

Also, phon’s questions are spot on, and you didn’t answer them.

I’m not an amoralist, and ‘Might is Right’ is a book, which I find valuable for its warrior spirit, not because I use it as a justification to act like a savage.

This thread, right now - the conversations between Phon and I, are hypothetical. Before I accept donations, I’m going to have everything mapped out. This is not a scam, nor will it be.

1.) I’m not trying to lecture people, like some didactic moron; I’m simply the founder and spokesman of the project. In order to promote the cause, I will need to speak - it’s that simple.

2.) Like I said, this is hypothetical right now; I don’t have any colleagues, nor artists, nor academics at the moment.

3.) Zoot appears to be willing to fund and construct the villages - I will have to get in touch with him. Initially, I and volunteers will construct the first village. From there, we will showcase what project B. is all about, and ask for donations to expand. The villages will have solar panels.

4.) The village hierarchy will be meritocratic. It matters, because it leads to the best, where they are supposed to be; no BS egalitarian inhibitions.

5.) No, this isn’t so much about escaping, nor detaching from the present; it’s about detaching from the toxicity of society today, with all its defects. And it’s about creating a better way of living, which will lead to a better humanity. I believe that the classical spirit of order, symmetry, noble-simplicity, etc is the ideal for a better humanity. Project B. will allow room for innovation, and will incorporate the good of modernity; but it will be predominantly classical.

Phon still has a chip on her shoulder, so irrespective of what I say, she will continue to throw water balloons.

How can you be free to create when you are being judged on merit and placed in a hierarchy?
An artist’s work may seen as crap by others and his status downgraded… so he may be tempted to leave or to produce ‘orthodox’ art.

Egalitarianism would seem to be a fundamental requirement in the village.

:slight_smile: You make shit art or thought you now clean shit until you improve, no matter that a menial shitty task takes all day everyday.

Phyllo, everyone within the village will have opportunities to advance. If they do advance, it will be because of merit, not because of egalitarian notions of justice.

Phone, not following your sarcasm…what’s the problem with the two quotes? Explain yourself.

But they advance only if their work meets with the approval of the judges. I guess that would be you and your pals. And you are looking back at the civilizations of Greece and Rome. - “The art of today is bland, simple, pretentious, and absurd; the classical ethos of the renaissance, the looking back to the civilizations of Greece and Rome, is nowhere to be found.”

They are to produce derivative, repetitive works modeled on a previous era. Therefore, there is no true freedom to create and innovate.

Not true, Phyllo. I stated that the project will be predominantly classical, not entirely.

There will be room for innovation and incorporation of differing styles. But the project will have a distinct classical touch.