Essay on The Civilizing Process by Norbert Elias

Throughout time an individual’s role in which he fits into society has changed. One of the most noticeable changes in an individual’s role in society occurred during the Italian Renaissance during the 14th and 15th centuries with the introduction of Humanism. Humanism gave birth to the concept of individuality a notion which is still alive today. It said that humans mattered and that now mattered, that one should not be part of a whole but rather someone that is unique. Before Humanism people only thought of the after life, of whether they were going to heaven or hell, but with the introduction of Humanism people became more involved in the present, rather then just thinking of what happened after you died. Humanism transformed

Castiglione's The Courtier presents a set of female and male indications for being ideal or well-rounded persons, spread across four books of what was to become a Renaissance-specific manual for achieving the human etiquette ideal. A parallel is to be traced between these precepts that were drawn five centuries ago, and the current situation.

| * disease caused for the decline in the middle ages * guilds develop to regulate laws of a particular occupation * growth of cities increased because of the need for more labor involved products

In Sigmund Freud’s book Civilization and Its Discontents, he defines that civilization is a whole sum of individuals and regulation and development of society force individuals to against their inner desire and sacrifice some personal happiness. In drama breaking bad, Walter White is a chemistry teacher in high school who lives in New Mexico with his wife and son who has cerebral palsy. Walter is diagnosed with a terminal lung cancer. For leaving money to his wife and children, he has to enter the drug trade with his student, Jesse Pinkman. This drama shows the changes of the characters and conflicts between individuals and society. In the process of improvement of civilization, people should sacrifice personal happiness to meet the demands

How did the change in time period, technological advancements, and overall lifestyle affect man’s view of man? In the 1400’s, the Middle Ages had ended and the Renaissance was just beginning. During the Middle Ages, the church held most of the power, giving people few rights. This and many other things changed during the Renaissance that lasted for about 250 years. The Renaissance affected how man viewed itself. Man’s view of man was changed during the Renaissance by art, literature, and science/astronomy.

During the Renaissance, Europe’s education system began to change overtime as it came to be challenged by new values and purposes. Education was seen as a way to acknowledge humanistic values through the focus of the classics. Teachings beyond the basics led to emphasis on social fancy, which was later overcome by religious morals that became more prominent. This system shortly came to be criticized for its failures and its insignificant need to people who sought a greater increase in laborers.

The view of the nature of man had changed significantly, in the Renaissance, since the time of the Middle Ages. Each man was now unique and completely different from his neighbor. Every man’s personality and personas were special to the individual. Men were composed of different amounts and types of talents. Some were great at science, some art, or others engineering. Man’s view on how they wanted to live their lives was also completely opposite then their fellow man. Overall, the nature of man became that of being their own human being and not be exactly the same as the person next

The following paper is an analysis of different societal conditions that impact the individual’s manners and the civility of the interaction between members of the society. The studies that were reviewed in the following paper cover many variables and scenarios that may affect the way a person interacts with another member of society.

The Book of the Courtier by Baldassar Castiglione was the book of proper etiquette for men and women from 1528 to the end of the 18th century. This book was found in French, Latin, Spanish, Dutch, English, German, and Polish. This book was written in a dialogue well, four different dialogues, with each dialogue pushing and explaining different “rules” that needed to be fallowed if a person was considered to be high class; these rules were basically held as law to most of the high class citizens of Europe. There are some rules that are able to be paired or grouped together because they either said the same thing or were pointing towards the same major point on how to act; some of these major key points

1. '77: To what extent and in what ways may the Renaissance be regarded as a turning point in the Western intellectual and cultural tradition?

In addition, Romans had amazing food and dining utensils that they used for their dinner parties and elaborate meals. During Ancient Rome, “Romans waited until the main meal of the day, the cena, (Tingay and Marks 38) to truly eat. The cena came in three courses, the appetizers, the main course, and the secundae mensae. When the food was served, it came with plenty of wine. This was because Romans had two hundred varieties or more from all over the empire. In the cena, “Food was served on dishes. Most were made of glass or pottery, but if the family was very rich there would also be ornate platters of gold and silver (Tingay and Marks 39). The Romans had spoons and knives but they preferred eating with their hands and fingers. As the slaves brought the food out on various dishes they would also pour the wine from the amphorae into a jug for easy pouring during meals. At many of the meals the host would normally have three couches, the summus, medius, and imus. (Top, middle, bottom). “The diners were seated according to their social status” (Tingay and Marks 39). When the guest arrived at the host’s house for the dinner party there would be couches surrounding the tables and musicians, jugglers, acrobats, dancers, and conjurers performing. The hosts hired entertainers to the meal to make it more enjoyable and entertaining. The first course was mainly consisting of salads, seafood, eggs, and mulsum. (Wine sweetened with honey). Next, “the main

During the later middle ages, from ca. 1300 to 1500 A.D., one can see the rise of humanism. Specially, one can see that the author of the book Utopia, Thomas More is a humanist. Thomas More, through his book, shows the readers a multitude of examples of humanism throughout his civilization, that can be closely related to events that were happening during this time period. One can see that Thomas More is a humanist through the ideas on luxury clothing, the economy, and slavery that were also large topics of debate during his time period.

After the Black Plague crippled Europe, a new period of time erupted known as the Renaissance slowly developed. The Renaissance is known as the “rebirth” for Humans. The reason for this meaning during the 14th century was because of the radical changes in the culture of Europe. The Middle Ages was surrounded by religion in many aspects. The Black Plague helps stimulate the idea that religion is through the individual. Religion in Europe was starting to becoming not so literal, but more of a personal connection with God, instead of a strict public connection. The starts of the renaissance, commoners or nobility were not focused on taking over the family business, but focusing on other career options of interest. The ideas and the development of Humanism were established during the renaissance through the idea of religion being more personal.

The idea of social status is one that assumes a pivotal role in Middle Age European culture. Social status was, in essence, a tool used by society to differentiate and label the population into their appropriate classes. Therefore, the elite would mingle with other members of their class, and the poor would associate themselves with other poor people. Social status had almost a sacred aura surrounding it. Obtainable only by rite of birth, it was not given out nor obtained overnight. Everyone respected the caste system and one’s position in it, and because of the respect for social status, the nobles received the respect of other noblemen, middle class merchants, peasants, and anyone

Beginning roughly around the year 1400 an era in Europe began; one that would shape the ideas and the lives of men. This era of rebirth or renaissance came within the fifteenth century through the revival of classical texts. One central effect of the Renaissance was the production of a new intellectual idea: humanism. Humanism being defined as a, “[t]erm invented in the 19th century. . . [regarding] developments relating to the revival of Classical literature and learning in European culture from roughly 1300 to 1600” left its mark on all of Europe leaving nothing untouched not even the artist. Both northern and southern art would be affected by humanism but in different ways ranging from changes in the human form, new choices of