#174 The Modern Renaissance w/ Medieval Mindset

#174 The Modern Renaissance w/ Medieval Mindset

From AMERICAPLUS by Cole McCormick

April 26, 2026 · 1h 6m · Episode 1

About this episode

Cole McCormick discusses the concept of a modern renaissance with John from the Medieval Mindset, exploring cultural shifts and personal actions that can contribute to a grassroots revival.

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…

People in this episode

Host: Cole McCormick

Guest: John

Topics covered

  • modern renaissance
  • cultural shifts
  • art and creativity
  • community building
  • health and spirituality
  • AI and technology

Keywords

  • renaissance
  • cultural revival
  • hope-posting
  • art
  • community
  • AI
  • truth
  • beauty
  • freedom
  • love

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Medieval Mindset YouTube channel

Books & works: Project Hail Mary

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