During the broadcast "Giù la maschera" on Rai Radio 1, dedicated today to the city of Napoli with the title 'In the shadow of Vesuvius: between hope and fatalism', the writer and journalist Maurizio De Giovanni he expressed profound reflections on the indissoluble bond that ties him to the Neapolitan city.
"If I left Naples I wouldn't write another word.", he declared, underlining the decisive influence that the city has on his inspiration and his literary production. "I tell what the city says", he added, describing Naples as an absorbing place and "strict", characterised by one of the highest population densities in Europe despite the risks associated with its volcanic geography.
De Giovanni highlighted the challenges associated with the red zone, often underestimated but still looming, exacerbated by the recent earthquakes exceeding magnitude 3 that struck the region. However, he emphasized that this physical closeness has contributed to creating a unique cultural homogeneity, which he considers an extraordinary asset.
Among the peculiarities of the Neapolitans, De Giovanni highlighted two fundamental aspects: temporariness and fatalism. "Temporary nature leads to flexibility and the ability to always look to the future with optimism.", he explained, highlighting the resilience of the Neapolitan people in the face of adversity.
Regarding fatalism, he commented: "Against Vesuvius, as against the Phlegraean Fields, there is no possibility of fighting." However, he also stressed that superstition is considered more of a fad than a real belief, citing the example of Napoli's celebrations for last year's Scudetto, which were already celebrated two months earlier despite the mathematical certainty of the title being unclear.
EDITORIAL TEAM
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