In this episode, I sit down with John of the Medieval Mindset YouTube channel to explore what a modern renaissance might really look like—and how it starts with each of us. We trace the many renaissances across history—from the Carolingian and 12th‑century revivals to the Italian Renaissance—and connect them to today’s cultural shifts in film, games, language, architecture, and everyday life. John makes the case for “hope‑posting,” building local pockets of culture offline, and choosing to create more than we consume. We dig into art with soul, why timeless works aim at eternity, and how a renewed appetite for truth, beauty, freedom, and love is showing up in everything from Project Hail Mary and late‑career Scorsese to indie video games and even audience pushback against hedonistic media trends. We also wrestle with AI’s place as a tool (not a muse), the rise of “human‑made” value, Gen Z’s turn toward health and spirituality, and what it means to set our compass toward the highest good—personally and culturally.

John shares his own renaissance playbook: deleting social apps from his phone, prioritizing creation over consumption, leaning into fitness and long‑distance running, practicing a mystical, tradition‑rich Catholicism, and investing in real‑world community. We close with practical ways to seed a grassroots revival where you live—gather friends, make art, touch grass, and choose hope together. Renaissance isn’t a slogan; it’s a daily decision—and it spreads from one courageous pocket to the next.

Support John:
https://www.instagram.com/medieval_mindset
https://www.patreon.com/cw/MedievalMindset

Follow Cole:
https://x.com/_ColeMcCormick
https://www.instagram.com/colemccormick1/