Italiani

Dear Joh Hooper, I’ve read your book “Italiani” and I have to say, I found there many new and interesting informations about Italy and Italians as well.
I was visiting this country many times, talking with people and against stereotypes, many Italians speak english. I don’t know southern Italy at all, the most southern place I’ve been there is Rome, which is consider as central part of country. Most of the time I was in the norhtern cities, but I didn’t observe same things, which you wrote in your book.
Yes, I remember your words, that you often meet an opinion like mine. Maybe we just met and talked with different people.
Anywhere I go, I’m trying to speak the language of visiting country and I have to tell you, everywhere people react the same way. They seem to feel proud of it and appreciate my effort, thay are also happy to see I’m trying, even when my pronounciation is very weak and even when I know only few words. Only in the last resort, when I see it’s impossible to communicate, then I’m reaching for english. It’s really not a problem to communicate in english with people in Italy. Keep in mind, that it’s still about northern Italy. In some smaller towns it may be a problem, when you try to talk with older people, then they reach for german. But this is my own experience and I wouldn’t present it as a general or common situations.
Still about northern Italy, I didn’t notice a lot of young adults living with their parents.
Maybe it’s not so common, or maybe I was in extraordinary places. But still, I didn’t live there, so it can be about exceptions.
Does each Italian have own version of truth? I’m not sure do I understood well what you ment, or jus haven’t been there long enough, to see it.
About imagination, fantasy, illusion, I can only say, that it’s not only in Italy.
Same as developed Christian culture, which have affect or influence on everyday life even on those, who doesn’t consider themselves as Christians (or will be better to say Catholic).
Does Italians eat and like only their own cuisine? Well, I don’t have idea why I met more open people who liked to try new things. They were probably an exceptions.
I brought some magazines with recipes from Italy, I have to tell you, there are not only traditional italian dishes. It doesn’t mean anything, I know.
Family relations.
Value of family is not only important in Italy and is a good value as an idea. Family is important in life and provides examples for children how to deal with everyday problems and it’s example of relationship, of course when it’s not about any inappropriate behaviour at home etc. Probably parents are first who teach empathy.
Does empathy is a value or weakness?
By the way, probability of living with parents in adult life is depending from many varieties and it’s not without matter does society, at general, is rich or poor.
What do you mean by “when we compare Italians with few other nations, still we can see influence (or maybe it will be better to say legacy) of Catholic Church in those aspects of life.” Results of The Face of Global Sex research from 2012,  about sexual initiation showed, that Italians begins their sexual life later (19,4) than British (18,3) and Americans (18,4).
So what is the point? What you are trying to say?
I don’t see anything wrong about this as well as for the avarage age 19,4, would you like to be less than 18?
“Casual sexual contacts, among Italian teenagers, are more often than during Vatican (and Christian Democrats) influence was stronger.”
Does casual sexual contacts among teenagers is really so positive?
Maybe I’m to similar to Italians whose keeping traditional values.
Does traditional values are also so bad and does it really stops economic development?

Mister Hooper, I don’t know you and sometimes I’m losing your point of view. That’s why I wont say, that I disagree with you. I would like to understand what you’re trying to say.
But I have to say, I’m a little bit concerned of some things I have read in your book.
However, “Italiani” was interesting lecture for me, especially historical and geographical parts.

This is also an example, that is possible to make constructive criticism, respect the person, you disagree with and be open for discussion.

The origin of: Vulgarity

When we hear about Vulgarity, we think about inappropriate behaviour or language. Which is correct, but where vulgairty is coming from?
In latin word vulgaris is about commonness, it is in use in the latin names of some plants. Latin meaning of vulgaris can suggest, some differences in language between nobility and peasantry. As the hint we can use the bible vulgata (versio vulgata), which mean common version and was translated from hebrew and greek on latin in about 382 – 406AC for the Christians from Roman Empire.
The Roman Empire has fallen, but latin was still in use by royalities and nobilities in Europe, when simple people was using national languages or rather their own dialects.
It seem to be understandable, that nobility thought about it self as a better part of society, began relate to peasantry (vulgarity) respectless.
Throughout history, divisions in society have undergone various changes, as well as naming.
Today we define with different words for: common, collective or vulgar.
However we divide common language and vulgar language, I get the impression, that theese vulgarisms becoming more and more in common use, pervading ever more everyday language , everyday conversations,  even among  those, from who we expect more sophisticated word choices…

The origin of: Tomato

There is a lot of informations about tomatoes, which are easy to find on the internet.
I’m not another one to write about it. Tomato is interesting case for me, because of it origin. Why?
If you’ve read some of my posts, you can predict it’s not so simple and obvious, how it may look like.
Tomato appears into the written sources (after european expeditions across the Atlantic Ocean at the turn of 15th century), in 1544 by Pietro Andrea Mattioli. Whoever discover it and bring it back to Europe is not sure. Does it was Cortes or Columbus, we don’t know in 100%. What doesn’t change a fact, that Spain and Italy was first two countries who spread it through the Europe. Here appears the interesting part of the story, because Spanish and Italian gave different name for new plant it fruit. Tomate and Pomo d’oro.
Spreading new fruit, without the name in other countries, allow us to take a look on the are of influence of Spain and Italy, or at least their trade position.
Follow after spanish tomate we recive:
Portugal, France, Germany, – tomate
England – tomato
Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia – tomat
Netherland – tomaat
Finland – tomaatti
Latvia – tomats
Greece – ντομάτα
Romania – tomata
Follow after italian pomo d’oro we recive:
Poland – pomidor
Lithuania – pomidoras
Russia – помидор
Ukraine – помідор
Sometimes we can meet own names, but as we see, it’s not very common
Hungary – paradicsom
Croatia – rajčica
Czech Republic – rajče
Ireland – trátaí
Even if Sapin and Italy was spreading fruit of a new land parallel, the influence of Spain was much more stronger. Later also England was trading tomatoes, which resulted of popularization spanish name for tomato.
On this example we can see it not always matter, who was first to provide new thing, but who had stronger influence to provide the name of new thing.

While tracking history, it’s good when we can support by written sources and words brought to some lands or cultures. However it’s important to keep in mind, that those things can lead us to those who had stronger influence and not necessarily to those, who invented something first.

Influence of culture and successful propaganda

People are doing or attempting to do this, what they believe in. That is why culture and propaganda can be very useful tools. When cultural greatness is propagated, it’s happening for some reason. What kind of benefits provide it?
From the one side, special way of thinking is begining.
For example: My country have a great history, my country have rich culture, so I am a part of it. I’m part of something great, so I can feel good or even better than others.
From the other side is dreaming to become a part of it.
For example: This country have such a great history, culture etc. so I want live there.
People of hollywood know very well, what they’re doing and how to do it well.
There is a lot of movies presenting American and English history and culture and only few (good movies) about history of other countries.
Obviously, whoever is maker of the movie, becoming propagator, by showing one side as a good guys and the other as a bad guys.
Why so many people want go to USA? They’re probably believing in american dream.
The American Dream, isn’t one of the greatest success of propaganda?
When you start to believe in something, you will also start acting to make it true.
If you believe in something what is real, it’s good. But when it’s a false, then you may fulfill the will of propagators. So it’s reasonable to follow after logic, distinguish what is right and what is wrong. It’s good, to be careful in taken actions.
Culture and propaganda can have big influence on us and on what we are doing, how do we are thinking.
Culture in general is good, because it’s legacy of highest achievements of people living in some country or land etc. But it doesn’t mean, it cannot be use in wrong way and for bad things. Also propaganda, doesn’t have to be bad. You can propagate something good, like healthy lifestyle etc. It have to be truth and checked or checkable. When it’s a theory or anything like this, it have to be said clearly.
Movies as the propaganda tool for the masses, have much more bigger influence than books. Books are for those, who are more seriously interested to know history and culture of the other country or their own country.
Knowing history and culture of own and other nations helps to understand the way of thinking. It can also be helpful in cooperation with people from differnt countries, but it can also give some stereotypes and some kinds of mistakes.
When it’s about people from other countries, I think, that the most reasonable is to have at least basic knowledge about their culture and history, but also get to know this particular person.
Different cultures are interesting and we can learn a lot from it.
It’s also important to not consider own or any other culture as better.
One more time, we have to distinguish between culture and common behaviour. Culture is about achievements and common behaviour is just about what simple people are doing everyday, which can have nothing to do with culture (but it can be more about tradition, anyway I will leave this case for another time).
When I want to know something about history of some country I’m looking for many sources and even this, not guarantee, to find out the truth.
When I want to know the culture of some country, it look very similar, but also I like to visit this country. To see all cultural places, still keeping in mind, that by meeting people I will know some traditions and folklore, much more than the culture.
Isn’t  interesting when there are different places to vsist, than everything mixed all together?
Maybe yes, maybe no.
Anyway, I like to travel to other countries, dicover things which I even didn’t have thought about before, try regional cuisine, learn new languages, exchange of different experiences, etc.
When people start coming to live in one country, they often creates closed separated groups. It’s easy to observe it all over the World. Separated groups in society can lead to easier dividing of society…

Divided States of America

Actually, it’s not only about USA, but generally about society.
In democratic countries, chosen government with all ministers, should represent the will of the nation. If the government or any kind of ruler, is not about to fufill the will of the nation, then the best what he or they can do is make society to be divided. When people are divided in their minds, they are easier to be ruled. Then people are not willing to search for common good or even similar opinion.
Even big companies divide people, it’s just enough to convince people, that they will be better than other, when they will buy some product. It’s enough to look, what some people can do, to get some goods. But does it really so valueable?
Big part of society can unite in the case of higher good, which often means a tragic situation. So what government can do to change tragic situations into a normal situations and keep society divided? They can simply say it’s normal any you people should use to it. You can see it very well in Europe, or in the middle east countries.
When some situations are happening enough often, then it becomes to be a normal situation. Normal simply mean common.
Only consciousness and moral values can stop us to consider madness as a normal thing.
Which nation want go to war? Probably there is no such nation, but it’s not so hard to put this opinion in people minds. What normal person want, is provide safe life and take care of himself or family. Because people want to feel safety, it’s enough to make a little trick and manipulation to make them think, that the war is necessary. Of course is based on conviction, that is the way to avoid attack or any similar things.
Government is not going to war, they send people there to fight. Government is not suffer hunger and similar things, but the people do.
Armies are needed to keep national safety, but I think, that they are not using, but beeing abused.
Unity in the nation is the worst enemy of governments. People gathered togher and united have the power to change government decisions. Governments don’t want fulfill the will of the nations, they want people, to be obedient. They hope, that people will not stand together to stop any act of the law, which government would like to set.
From the other hand, maybe people just used to be ruled and this way is fine for them?
Or it’s too hard, to go over the differencess between us and unite, at least in some basic cases?