Today’s Renaissance
Those who know me and have been around me recently are aware that something special is happening in my life and in the lives of many of my friends. Bali is on fire, and all of us who worked so hard to reach this moment—through the years before COVID, staying afloat during the pandemic with either a redirection or by staying the course with solid hard work, persistence, and belief—are now being rewarded. The recovery year has brought us to stable ground, and this past year has brought the next phase of growth, and energy.
This has sent a charge in me, and I felt it was time to follow through on my curiosity, my thoughts, and my theory about the Renaissance period. I believe we are in the midst of a new Renaissance. There was a piece of the puzzle I couldn’t figure out without being there, and Europe—particularly Italy—had been calling me.
My friends and family know how much I love the period of 1400-1700. It was a time of world travel on a large scale that brought discovery and paved the way to the modern world—tales of pirates, silk, coffee, salt, and nutmeg. The time that produced one of the most ironic tales in history when a small island in the Banda Straights of the Maluku islands in Indonesia called Run was traded for Manhattan because of its abundant supply of nutmeg. The Dutch couldn’t stand that the last island in the Banda Straits was controlled by the British, so they traded New Amsterdam for Run. The British then changed the name of New Amsterdam to New York, marking the start of a modern-day tale.
During this time period (the 1500’s), the Renaissance began, a period that fascinates me greatly. It was a time of great development and progression of human culture, education, technology, mathematics, art, architecture…and banking. Names such as Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, Machiavelli, and the Medici family are legends of the period. I believe this moment in history started the path that eventually led to the Industrial Revolution and, ultimately, our modern culture and times.
The Renaissance has always held a special connection for me, almost like an awakening that led me to a realization - I believe we are living in a modern Renaissance period—a time of re-industrialization, where new technology is advancing so quickly that we now have computers to help us think and work. This leads me to wonder: is this narcissistic thinking? Does every generation believe they are living in a modern Renaissance—a time like never before, as important as any other time in history? Why would our time be so significant that it rivals any other important moment in the past—be it the transition from BC to AD, the Roman Empire, the Ming Dynasty, Napoleon, Mandela, MLK, the Mayan Empire, or the Renaissance itself? How could our current moment be as important?
Over the last 15 years, building Indosole with my main man Kyle Parsons and the hundreds, if not thousands, of people who have contributed to this brand, I have learned so much:
- The Challenges of Business: Just staying in business is a monumental task—making money, staying alive, building a team, and growing. I am incredibly proud of the brand we’ve built, which is now on a path to bigger and better things. I am also proud of the team we have and the opportunities we can provide. After 15 years, we are in a place where the exciting times ahead are fruitful and plenty.
- Insights into the Recycling Industry: I’ve learned a lot about how the recycling industry works, how commerce operates on a global scale, and how businesses exploit the earth’s resources, gradually destroying them over time. The waste produced is shifted around without being directly dealt with, and responsibility is sorely lacking. There is a significant divide and separation between societies, making it extremely difficult to bring about meaningful change, starting with the industry we are in—footwear and fashion.
I believe the Renaissance period led to the Industrial Revolution, which brought us to where we are today, catalyzing the modern Renaissance period in which I believe we are living. This is a time to change the way commerce and society operate—to be cleaner, greener, and more efficient, driven by new thinking, enlightened inspiration, and sense of responsibility. This is where new terms like Re-Industrial Revolution, Modern Day Mining, and the Secondary Resource Market come into play.
- The True Focus of Environmentalism: The change in modern industry towards cleaner and greener, more efficient, and well thought out processes taking into account the full life cycle of product and outputs. In the end, it is not only better for the earth, it is better for people. In recent years, the conversation around environmentalism has often centered on the urgent need to save the planet. Indosole is shifting the conversation around environmentalism to focus on how it benefits people directly, rather than just saving the planet. The idea is simple: the earth will be okay, but it’s our health and happiness that are at risk. When we recycle, reduce waste, and clean up pollution, we’re not just doing it for nature—we’re doing it for ourselves. Cleaner air, safer water, and healthier living spaces are the real reward.
By reframing environmentalism this way, we make it more relatable. People are mostly selfish and care about their own well-being, and by highlighting how sustainable practices improve their lives, we can get more people on board. This isn’t just about being eco-friendly; it’s about living better.
We’re taking inspiration from the Renaissance period, where the focus was all about human potential and well-being. We’re bringing that same mindset to modern environmentalism, showing that the movement is really about making our lives happier and healthier. At the end of the day, it’s about creating a world where people can thrive and be happy, and that’s the message Indosole is excited to share.
- Learning Through Travel:I came to Europe to make some connections, and I must admit, I’m slow, not always the smartest, and unfortunately sometimes I need to see things to believe them. I wish I could just read about it, but accepting reality is a skill of mine, so traveling was the only way for me to learn. I needed to look into the Renaissance period in real life, with real places and real collections of history. I wanted to see who the people were, what they left behind—the artifacts, the writings—and though I’m still far from understanding it fully, I purchased books from the source to continue my research and dive into the past to understand what is to come.
I wanted to see for myself so that I could spark a catalyst in my mind about where we are today and where we could go. My belief is that the Renaissance period brought forth the Industrial Revolution, which set us on a path to modern times and will, in turn, lead Today’s Renaissance—a period that will open our minds and combine with technology to usher in a new, beautiful world.
The past few weeks in Europe have been incredible. I visited Prague, the land of the Dragon Slayers; I went to Croatia to experience the Love International Festival and the amazing boat parties of Tisno. I got to hang with one of my favorite humans and one of my favorite crews— Today’s Renaissance (Gilang Panko), Andy Chunes, and the PNNY crew. After some fun in Croatia, I moved on to Italy to continue my learning, starting in Pisa, moving to Florence, then to Carrara to see the Marble Quarries where Michelangelo got his marble for David. This is where Dubai, Turkey, and many modern structures of elegance source their marble to this day. I then went over to the beautiful Tuscan town of Pietra Santa, then down to Venice to cruise the canal streets and visit the mind-blowing Biennale, and finally, on to Rome to experience the structures and culture of the move from BC to AD and the first centuries of modern times.
It was an amazing couple weeks in Europe. I visited Prague, the land of the Dragon Slayers; I went to Croatia to experience the Love International Festival and the amazing boat parties of Tisno. I got to hang with one of my favorite humans and one of my favorite crews— Today’s Renaissance (Gilang Panko), Andy Chunes, and the PNNY crew. After some fun in Croatia, I moved on to Italy to continue my learning, starting in Pisa, moving to Florence, then to Carrara to see the Marble Quarries where Michelangelo got his marble for David. This is where Dubai, Turkey, and many modern structures of elegance source their marble to this day. I then went over to the beautiful Tuscan town of Pietra Santa, then down to Venice to cruise the canal streets and visit the mind-blowing Biennale, and finally, on to Rome to experience the structures and culture of the move from BC to AD and the first centuries of modern times.
It was a fruitful experience, with desired learnings and thoughts still processing.
In closing, a final sobering point as the yin and yang in life is ever-present: travel and learning do not come without a downside. Just as the developments of the 1400-1700 time period—the global conquests and the Renaissance—had their dark sides, so too does my learning. The Renaissance period may have been a catalyst for even more separation between the wealthy and the poor, religious divides, and the racial consequences of elite versus non-elite, as seen in the cause of religious divides.
So, in looking at this, perhaps the Renaissance period was a catalyst for the divide we are still seeing today. The yin and yang, the good and bad, the light and dark of this progression and development, primarily of a predominantly Anglo-Saxon, white, Northern and Southern European culture, are fully apparent in this study. Acknowledging this is key to honest discussion and cannot be discounted. I welcome this criticism and accept it as part of the healing and learning the world continues to need.
The yin and yang of development and progression continue and never end, how can we take this learning and progress together as joined force of positivity and light in Today’s Renaissance?
This is the beginning of a thought. I would love for you to join my thinking, and I welcome any discussion you may desire.
Terima Kasih,
Kai
