The Next Revolution

Last week I was telling a friend of mine that if it weren’t for the fact that Italy is a democracy, there would be a revolution. The issues facing the country are deep and permeate the whole of society. They reach far back in history and cannot be summarised easily.
There is the crisis of refuse collection in southern Italy which reaches far back to the re-creation of the mafia near the end of WWII for military expediency, leading to local and then national political patronage which has been exploited by successive governments.
There is the crisis of employment, especially for young people, now always temporary, with no guarantees and badly paid. Whilst salaries have failed to increase across the western world, in Italy the problem is more acute due to static economic structures.
There is the crisis of the ‘caste’, the control over political and economic resources by the vested interest of certain groups. As argued elsewhere, Italy's politics and economy are in crisis because of their subservience to power groupings traditionally dominated by (older) men with strong political links to ensure influence. Such groups hold the key to personal and corporate success. This too reaches far back and was exacerbated (or endorsed?) by the influence being exercised by the USA and USSR during the Cold war.
There was a time after the end of the Cold war, where there was hope. There was hope around the world for a new world order. Italy moved from the First to the Second Republic. Yet, the ‘new’ politicians (who couldn’t be really ‘new’) relied on the old structures of power. It may be that they had no choice in this, but nobody since the early 1990s has ever attempted real structural reforms.
The revolution is under way. Court cases have exposed the unashamed use of political patronage in the academia and business, for example. Everybody knows, everybody has always known. It is now time to change it.
Whilst I recognise that Berlusconi’s electoral tinkering has jeopardised the possibility of a functioning government, I still think Prodi was always too concerned about himself rather than the country.
Walter Veltroni, the now leader of the main centre-left party, was anointed by 3.5m people last autumn at the primaries. What is he going to do?
If I were Veltroni, I would propose a bold manifesto with my vision for Italy and call for a coalition to implement it. I would want transparency for all appointments, I would want structural reforms of the economy, I would want substantial devolution to the regions and cities, I would want new proportional electoral arrangements and, yes, even quotas for women. In this case, and for a limited period, they are indeed essential to allow a new politics. If I were a journalist, I would call on the media to stop play the game of the powers that be, such as the Vatican. If I were the Pope I would be constructive and give money to the priests that are fighting the mafia, the drugs and are helping the victims of the new slave trade. If I were … the revolution is a responsibility of all.
I suppose I just mean reforms, reforms that will reflect the local diversity. So far there have been confused movements of protest, such as the one started by comedian Beppe Grillo, that have fallen into the ‘game’ and conformed. Yet, it’s not impossible, only difficult.

Dating - second episode

This dating thing is not going too well. The first time I logged on I felt really awkward. Most people don't write much. Some are overconfident, some try not to undersell themselves by adding 'my friends say', some stick to plain descriptions and some paint a rather boring picture. You end up looking at a series of photos, which made me feel very uncomfortable. I cannot look at people as if I were shopping for food. I can't get passed this consumerist element.
Internet dating sites are fundamentally flawed because they don't match one according to one's description of oneself, rather on the standard computer-generated replies such as height, look, language, location, profession, age etc. This means you need to read through people's profiles, which really doesn't cut time. I suppose I'm not serious about this and I don't read and look with the right spirit. It's just that the more I look the more beautiful they all look. They all seem vulnerable, even the most self-confident. I really can't form a picture of these people at all.
Looking at Jdate.com I've come across quite a few Londoners who, like me, are simply looking for friends. It seems to me quite incredible that in a metropolis like London with so much happening people cannot meet. The geography, the architecture, our stressful lifestyles seem to be conspiring against us. There are no spaces for people to meet and chat. No piazza, no stroll in the centre of town.
It could be quite simple. You just need a book, a talk, a film, a painting, a sporting event and people gathering in the same place to discuss it. Maybe not, maybe we'll increasingly spend more time in cyberspace without ever meeting our Facebook friends.

smile

From a colleague's email:

A lady with a clipboard stopped me in the street the other day. She said, "Can you spare a few minutes for cancer research?" I said, "All right, but we won't get much done." - Jimmy Carr

The information market

Sometimes I come across rather frightening blogs where the author twists the information, has no regard for objectivity, historicity and is filled with paranoid propaganda. The sad aspect of this is that the authors of such blogs/sites and many of their readers believe their own nonsense.
Ideology and propaganda have always been around, but the new means of information have much wider availability, audience, and next to zero critical thinking. Next to the blogs and sites where the information is checked and often referenced, there are millions of others that are sheer nonsense. I might be guilty of some nonsense but I’m happy to review what I say or simply be persuaded by a contrary argument.
Persuasion and debate are the foundations of our democracy. A truly plural liberal democracy should encourage diverse groups promoting their interests and identities and reflecting in their arguments their specific viewpoints. I like niche markets and, from a consumerist point of view at least, we should have more. As argued in past posts, I would like to be able to read and watch sites/programmes on topics in which I’m interested regardless of where they are from, especially those in other languages as they offer a different perspective. Yet, it seems that niche markets are not as developed as niche propaganda.
Our democracy is undergoing profound changes but national governments are not gearing up to manage them. The proliferation of groups, interests and identities is an opportunity for increased diversity and flexibility, yet unless governments (in particular local government) engage sensibly with the new Babylon and establish some ground rules to ensure the rights of all, we will be crushed by it. The city of Bologna has issued a charter of rights and duties, which is an interesting example, so if you have others get in touch! But what about misinformation?
I could think of a couple of good examples of misinformation in Cardiff but let’s leave it there! The problem is that I haven’t come across a good way of managing communication. What is the best way for local government, politicians, interest/identity groups, lobbies etc to communicate in the public arena?
When does persuasion become propaganda? How do citizens defend themselves from misinformation? How do we protect the ‘common good’ and the res publica (as in the public democratic space) from the unscrupulous use of propaganda? In ancient Greece and Rome, the art of rhetoric had moral qualities. It was not to further untruths. Greeks and Romans were not that different from us, although they seem to have lots of intelligent people and a relatively small population.
How do we bring morality back in? The more the theo-cons are allowed to monopolise morality, the more our res publica will suffer from their propaganda. Long live liberalism?

A good music tip

I was going to write the story behind this, but it could be misinterpreted, so to those of you who know me, just ask!
I cannot access this facility any longer from my laptop, but you won't have problems.
Go to yahoo italia (click on musica on the left hand column and then video). Once you've launched a video, you can search the music you like. I would strongly recommend the following:
Carmen Consoli (L’ultimo Bacio, Besame Giuda, L'eccezione etc.), Simone Cristicchi (Ti regalero' una rosa, L'Italia di Piero, Voglio cantare come Biagio Antonacci, Bella gente), Daniele Silvestri (Mi persi, A me ricordi il mare, Gino e l'alfetta etc.) and Cristina Dona (Universo).
Even if you don't speak Italian this is good music! (although Cristicchi & Consoli have really good lyrics).

Is Muslim the new 'Communist'? Who is the new McCarthy?

I’ve come across an e-mail with rumours that Obama is a Muslim. The details can be found at Urban Legends and more on CNN, Washigton Post etc.
It is clearly a paranoid attack trying to induce fear in the electorate. The most uncomfortable aspect of it is the fact that it implies that American Muslims are not American. It is rather reminiscing of the McCarthy era, although I doubt this is what awaits us. It would be important, however, to see whether there is a new McCarthy out there, be it a group or just stupid individuals. Most importantly, what is causing the paranoia? The media, politicians?
This race for the White House shows that America, like most countries perhaps, has deep-seated issues with race, gender, pluralism and religion. It is claimed that American Muslims are more integrated than British Muslims. Yet, American society’s discomforts about race can potentially radicalise groups on either ‘side’ (albeit not necessarily bringing violence), when all this could be avoided.
The abortion debate in the States seems to me an example of a society that does not really accept pluralism and where fundamentalist groups (such as those who target doctors), gain a voice precisely because they are a niche and are therefore unrepresentative.
I believe pluralism is about liberalism. It is not about creating a million interest or identity groups, but about respecting one’s multiple identities and interests without labelling one. A Catholic is no less a Catholic for not wearing a cross or a Jew no less a Jew for not eating kosher (stop saying that they are ‘not practising’!). Above all, pluralism allows individuals to interpret their tradition and identity and to choose how to express it while respecting others. This is liberal democracy at its best and it does require diversity.

So I joined a dating site ...

I’ve been nagged left, right and centre about registering with a dating website, so in the end I did. I lied a bit about location & name given that I’m likely to be the only Italian Jewish woman living in Cardiff. I still manage to come across people I know and, worse still, who know me. Lucky I didn’t talk myself up at all, in fact I told the awful truth pointing out that I’m awkward and difficult. I could have said: ‘just don’t bother’, given that I don’t answer any message anyway, which I think it’s how it’s meant to work, isn’t it? ;)
Leaving my total ineptitude aside, these dating websites are very interesting. They do their best in trying to overcome the inherent difficulties of a global and mobile world. Once upon a time, it was easier. People met others from their social background and geographical environment. They had less choice, which meant more realism. They also didn’t seek perfection in the other while lacking it in themselves and expected things to be difficult.
What I find strange is that these website aim to match you with yourself. There are many things I like doing, including politics, but I would be bored to death if I had to listen to someone talking politics all evening, unless it’s about public value management theory and local government finance, which anyway come second to Maimonides’ philosophy and its relevance for liberal democracy.
So I go back to being Linus Van Pelt in this comfy place of my blog!

Clinton vs Obama in the 21st century

Yes, Clinton is arrogant, she's not a good communicator and is seen as divisive, but she has brains and substance. More importantly I don't think Obama can win. Europeans are holding the breath and crossing their fingers hoping for something good to come out of the Primaries and the election later this year. After all, the rest of the world is affected by the choice of President Americans make. True we (Europe) should be more independent and assertive, in the meantime ... can we have a Democrat in the White House?
Clinton is not likable but she was the one who put forward a comprehensive plan to expand healthcare. She seems to me as someone who still stands for the right things, in fact someone who stands for something. The problem I have with Obama is that he's insipid, all things to all men. He's smooth and likable and that's what irritates me. Is Hilary she seen as divisive just because she's not woolly? Is the American electorate fed up with the old regime? What's so good about being 'new' and with little life experience? I have noticed quite a few MPs on our shores (across the political spectrum) who are rather young and seem to have lived in a rather cocooned environment. They might be 'new', likable and even good looking, but I can't think anyone less suitable at making decisions and at facing the challenges of the 21st century.
My problem, though, is that way too much power is concentrated at the centre. Cities and states in the US should have more of a say, congress men and women should be elected differently and the American media should have more guts.
I'm amazed that 25 states are in favour of Kyoto (+various cities) and yet the administration doesn't care a jot. The democracy of the 21st century cannot be afraid of diversity, it needs to embrace it. The only way forward is by devolving power down and listening to people and local representatives. Local democracy is ahead of government in finding solutions and tackling global problems. In the post-national 21st the local blends with the global in ways that national governments cannot see. It is time institutions undergo reforms to adapt to the new century.