I’ve just come back from one week’s holiday in Italy. It was quite an experince – after so many years abroad – spending free time in my home country right in the middle of a crisis. What an opportunity to reflect on what being Italian means. The company of Darren – British-Jamaican academic – provided a refreshing view as it was his first time in the country.
It was surreal wondering across Rome through palaces and churches which have saved the traces of the past glories for over 2 millenia, while the media were going mad about the euro crisis spreading across Italy.
Does it really matter? After 4 days spent rewinding the endless list of Emperors and Popes who rose and fell one after the other, one may answer is no. They are all dead but we are here.
This crisis is actually a healthy wakeup call to remember that Italian society – not just government – has crossed the line and it’s time to get back on track: less infightings, more work to tackle shared challenges.
If anybody is afraid it’s just because he/she knows he/she is going to loose benefits no longer deserved.
On the other hand, this is the right time to get rid of ageing parasites and launch a programme for innovation and radical change. I’m trying with Naples but everybody should do the same in every city.
Perhaps this crisis will be recalled as a new start in the future. For sure we want to add new faces to the endless list of rulers to keep on entertaining the tourists.
