People like Leonardo da Vinci do not thrive in today's society - it's quite the opposite

Introduction 

Leonardo da Vinci (1452 – 1519) was an Italian painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. One of the greatest legacies we have from him is his notebooks, which include knowledge and ideas on a wide variety of subjects, including anatomy, astronomy, botany, cartography, paleontology, etc. His paintings, such as The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, are among human history's most influential art pieces. 

Today, we are often led to believe that people like Leonardo were an exception - something ordinary people could never achieve. But is this really true? 

This blog post will explore an idea that has been on my mind for a while. I truly believe most of us have the potential to achieve mastery in many subjects, but the way modern society is set discourages us from even trying. That is why we rarely encounter people like Leonardo, and when we do, they are not as “successful” as one would expect.

Leonardo da Vinci, Drawing of a flying machine

The Massacre of Childhood Curiosity

Most children are born naturally curious. They question everything. Whatever their parents tell them, they would reply with "why," and the way they see the world is not yet affected by the boundaries that adults internalize.

When we were children, in most cases, no one forced us to choose between arts and science. No one forced us to pick interests based on what would be profitable later on. We thrived in our little projects, without fear or judgment.

The very first limits imposed on children start when they ask "why" and receive a harsh reply or get ridiculed for it. Organized education is often physically and mentally exhausting, and it does not promote curiosity. It rather promotes accepting information as it is and reproducing it in a standardized way. Instead of knowledge, the focus is put on good marks.

And it's not as easy as saying to children to "pay no attention to it". Even if a young child somehow manages to resist the social pressure from teachers and pupils, there is no escape from the consequences of "failed" education once we are adults. There is no time to explore hobbies and interests, there is no time to ask "why" when our future options are determined on how well we performed on tests.

Leonardo had a very peculiar childhood. He was born as an illegitimate child. In the past, having a child without being married was a huge issue, and this caused Leonardo not to receive traditional organized education like his peers. However, his family recognized the extent of his curiosity and made sure to find him tutors who would support his growth.

He was able to combine the best of both worlds as a child - he had passionate and wise masters to pass the knowledge onto him, and he also had enough freedom to curiously approach the world without the limits that formal education imposes. Most of us were never given that option.

Specialization, exploitation, and capitalism

Despite all the challenges that the environment sets in our youth, many of us still pursue multiple interests and make it into early adulthood with an open, curious mind. The problems start to occur once we have to start surviving in this world.

The job market enforced the idea that someone who worked in many different fields never got good in any of them. Even online spaces like social media algorithmically favor people who are focused on one thing and consistently make content about it.

We are forced to choose, and to choose fast - because our survival is on the line. If we do not make a choice, the world will make it for us instead. And each choice affects our future options.

People with many skills often end up exploited instead of celebrated.

You got a job as an accountant, but you happen to speak multiple languages? Great, you will translate all of our products now. You can draw/paint, and you have experience in graphic design? Well, our newsletter is now your problem. And our social media since we are at it. Coding was your side hustle at some point? Great, we do not have to hire external services to maintain our website. Will this ever formally be recognized and result in a higher salary? Absolutely not.

The best shortcut to being ignored or exploited is listing all of the actual skills in your CV. People with multiple talents get continuously punished for daring to pursue a path that is different from a traditional, specialized one.

Additionally, since specialization is the norm, we are all pressured to get better in very few things and not “waste” our time exploring the world randomly.

Art VS Science

I personally struggled with this all my life because I was always "too artistic" for mathematics but also "too obsessed with numbers" to be an artist.

I have an impression that during the Renaissance period (the time when Leonardo lived), those two things were complementary, not competing. Being able to draw can bring to life many scientific ideas, for example. Art and science are just different mediums for expressing the appreciation for the beauty of the universe that surrounds us. 

Today, those two are 2 strictly separated categories most of the time. There are some exceptions to the rule, such as architecture. However, no one is expecting a scientist to be able to draw, make music, etc, or the other way around, an artist to have any scientific interests.

This is yet another consequence of modern times. Art is a product that needs to be sold. The same goes for scientific research. So, to make sure that the efficiency (and therefore, profitability) of these two fields is maximized, everyone has to strictly focus on just one part of the process. 

It is also not helping that art is quite underappreciated in today’s society. Artists are called lazy, unproductive members of society, unemployed, poor, and so on. It is easy to give up on art while growing up and invest time in more “productive” pursuits. 

Leonardo da Vinci, The bones and the muscles of the arm

Conclusion

Knowledge is more accessible today than it ever was in human history. Yet we catch ourselves not knowing things we wish to know, not practicing skills we wish to gain. We suffer from burnout while doing things we used to enjoy genuinely.

Social media is feeding on our anger and fear. It does not let us find a balance between bad things that occur and beautiful things that exist. The ugliness of the world is served to us, but its beauty needs to be sought.

The key to seeking beauty is curiosity. However, the world we live in does not encourage this virtue. We were all just like Leonardo when we were children. We all have the potential to learn many different things. It is just extremely difficult to do so in a world that discourages this behaviour.

Can anything be done about this?

It sure can,  in my opinion. Here are some steps I am trying to take in order to foster my curiosity. Some weeks are harder than others - after all, just like everyone here, I have to find a fine balance between things that I want to do and things that have to be done.

We cannot change the world right now, but we can change how we interact with it. So, here is what I’m doing:

• Not choosing my activities based on what I can monetize
• Not being afraid to start projects and fail or not finish them
• Thinking about what I wish to know about the world and looking it up, instead of only passively consuming information 
• Seeking beauty in the world and capturing it through art
• Approaching other people, in real life and online, with curiosity and intention to learn

If you have anything to add to this list, let me know.


I hope you enjoyed this blog post. Have a nice day!