At its core, human nature tends to value similar things throughout time, yet there will always be clear distinctions in time periods as society grows. During the Renaissance, the arts were more highly regarded, as seen in the gorgeous buildings scattered across Florence and the magnificent works of Brunelleschi, Da Vinci, Donatello, and more. Modern art, by contrast, is harsher, less complex, and more monotone, raising the question of whether we still value the arts as we once did. I believe that as society changes, the quality and ideology of the arts are also forced to change, for the better or worse. Driven by the success of industrialization, urbanization, and technological advancement, we have begun to value the arts less and instead value success, productivity, and looking towards the future. I would like to say that with this modern growth, we started to value human life more, but this is only true under specific conditions. Peeling back the curtains from the mainstream world reveals that there are still injustices that exist to continue to harm individuals from marginalized communities, proving that technological and economic advancement does not guarantee moral progress. Thus, while human values have changed in obvious ways since the Renaissance, at the core of the issue, there remain shared ideas, both negative and positive.
Swanson School of Engineering 