Borrowing a fashionable expression some time ago, one could say that Italy has become an industrial country "without its knowledge". The new book of Antonio Calabrò "The future of memory - Telling the company to stimulate innovation" Egeo publisher, undertakes to bring together the two cultures, that of business and the classical, literary, musical, social and political one, which have been separate for a long time, if not enemies. Certainly not an easy operation, made even more difficult because we live in a period of great transformations where both the company and the culture must change profoundly in order to face new and unprecedented challenges.
Industry as a center of general knowledge
Calabrò looks at the problems with a good dose of optimism. It does not hide the difficulties that are rooted in our cultural and political history nor does it underestimate the problems of the present Western democratic economy and society, but underlines the role of industry, not only as a producer of wealth, but as a center of cultural elaboration , of innovation that could transfer the strength of its vision of the future, its style of dealing with problems, its values of commitment and responsibility, in a word of general culture.
Citizens between illusions and frustrations
Unfortunately, since the beginning of the last century, and surprisingly with greater intensity in the last twenty or thirty years, in Italy the general culture of both the entrepreneurial class and citizens has increasingly detached itself from those positive values of innovation and of merit that the community that lives on the farm should cultivate to the maximum degree. Entrepreneurs seem incapable of fighting for that "farsighted reformism" which, as Calabrò affirms, should be the basis of that rebuilding trust in institutions e in innovation which is the basis of a true recovery of growth with equity. Ordinary citizens struggle between illusions and frustrations. They are unhappy, but perhaps more than unhappy with their present, they are afraid for their future and that of their children. They bang here and there in the constant search for something reassuring and end up, as Elio Vittorini wrote, "hearing the ringing of the future in every donkey's bray".
This is the only way to explain the erratic electoral behavior. First we had Grillo, then Salvini, now it seems it's Meloni's turn. Even earlier there was the fascination for Berlusconi who also enchanted entrepreneurs by saying he was liberal, but then in his years of government he was careful not to promote the market, merit, the most modern entrepreneurship.
In the past, corporate culture found spaces for expression
After the Second World War we all fought together for transform our society. The industry was considered a strength, a social lift, a creator of modernity. The corporate culture was not rhetorical, but considered a positive element to contribute to the moral and civil redemption of the nation, as well as obviously to economic progress. Precisely in that period many large companies undertook various cultural initiatives both as sponsors and as organizers of cultural centers around which to make the debate flourish. This is how various magazines are born which are not organs of commercial propaganda but which have the role of exchanging cultural experiences. It is no coincidence that Alberto Pirelli in 1948, presenting the first issue of the Pirelli Magazine, stated "we come to converse with you (intellectuals) on behalf of a company which, through the sum of intelligence and work ... ... feels it can say a useful word" .
But things didn't turn out this way. In the 70s almost all the magazines closed. An "against" culture has established itself both for political reasons linked to Marxist ideology and for a widespread skepticism about the effectiveness of market rules to create and spread well-being. Politicians have not been "far-sighted" and indeed with the emergence of marketing, presentism has become the general rule.
"A new digital humanism" is needed
To overcome this stalemate, Calabrò offers numerous ideas that should convince the reader of the convenience of the change. Technology evolves both in the medical field, both in the digital and in theartificial intelligence. Changing cities become more beautiful and livable, just look at Milan. In short, we need to organize a new story of a possible and better future.
However, the impression is that entrepreneurs, perhaps due to the small number of large private companies left, have lost the sense of their rights and above all of their duties, and therefore are no longer available to wage hard battles to reaffirm both others. Things, as the past teaches, must always be conquered at the cost of hard cultural and social struggles.
