Florence was the centre of the Italian Renaissance. Its appreciation for art and beauty originated some of the most creative geniuses in modern history. The first international currency was born here: the Florin. The Medici family was the most powerful family of Florence and served as first high-risk investors for the city. They understood that money and genius are intertwined. They did not merely tolerate innovation. They demanded it. Even though Florence was chaotic and swampy, life was beautiful. Artists were free to pursue their passions without worrying about money, inside the so-called Botteghe. In these environments, problems were happily welcomed like long-lost friends with ideas and solutions immediately in the air. Here, collaborative efforts between mentors and protégés were common. Like other places of genius, new ideas and information were always accepted. However, with a lot of ideas and money to back them up, came incredibly fierce competition. Florence was swampy and prone to regular outbreaks of fire, flood and diseases. The Black Death eventually hit Florence in 1348. Florence and Florentines were obsessed with transforming something already good, into something unforgettable. For such reason, they didn’t value technology as much as art. To them, any invention, however ingenious, can always be supplemented by something newer and better. With art, this was not the case. Maybe then a true work of genius is something that renders silly and futile any thought of an upgrade. That's all.
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