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Chronicles of a Liquid Society
The acclaimed author examines our contemporary world—from technology to politics and pop culture—in this collection of essays written for L’Espresso.
Umberto Eco was an international cultural superstar. In this, his last collection, the celebrated essayist and novelist observes the changing world around him with irrepressible curiosity and philosophical insight. He illuminates the contemporary upheaval in ideological values, the crises in politics, and the unbridled individualism that have become the backdrop of our lives—creating a “liquid” society that defies any organizing principle.
In these pieces, written for his regular column in the Italian magazine L’Espresso, Eco brings his dazzling erudition and keen sense of the everyday to bear on topics such as being seen, conspiracies, the old and the young, mass media, racism, and good manners. It is “a swan song from one of Europe’s great intellectuals…[Eco] entertains with his intellect, humor, and insatiable curiosity” (Kirkus Reviews).“An intelligent, intriguing, and often hilariously incisive set of observations on contemporary follies and changing mores.” —Publishers Weekly
Umberto Eco was an international cultural superstar. In this, his last collection, the celebrated essayist and novelist observes the changing world around him with irrepressible curiosity and philosophical insight. He illuminates the contemporary upheaval in ideological values, the crises in politics, and the unbridled individualism that have become the backdrop of our lives—creating a “liquid” society that defies any organizing principle.
In these pieces, written for his regular column in the Italian magazine L’Espresso, Eco brings his dazzling erudition and keen sense of the everyday to bear on topics such as being seen, conspiracies, the old and the young, mass media, racism, and good manners. It is “a swan song from one of Europe’s great intellectuals…[Eco] entertains with his intellect, humor, and insatiable curiosity” (Kirkus Reviews).“An intelligent, intriguing, and often hilariously incisive set of observations on contemporary follies and changing mores.” —Publishers Weekly
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2016
784 people are currently reading
3051 people want to read
About the author
Umberto Eco
947 books11.9k followersUmberto Eco was an Italian medievalist, philosopher, semiotician, novelist, cultural critic, and political and social commentator. In English, he is best known for his popular 1980 novel The Name of the Rose, a historical mystery combining semiotics in fiction with biblical analysis, medieval studies and literary theory, as well as Foucault's Pendulum, his 1988 novel which touches on similar themes.
Eco wrote prolifically throughout his life, with his output including children's books, translations from French and English, in addition to a twice-monthly newspaper column "La Bustina di Minerva" (Minerva's Matchbook) in the magazine L'Espresso beginning in 1985, with his last column (a critical appraisal of the Romantic paintings of Francesco Hayez) appearing 27 January 2016. At the time of his death, he was an Emeritus professor at the University of Bologna, where he taught for much of his life. In the 21st century, he has continued to gain recognition for his 1995 essay "Ur-Fascism", where Eco lists fourteen general properties he believes comprise fascist ideologies.
Eco wrote prolifically throughout his life, with his output including children's books, translations from French and English, in addition to a twice-monthly newspaper column "La Bustina di Minerva" (Minerva's Matchbook) in the magazine L'Espresso beginning in 1985, with his last column (a critical appraisal of the Romantic paintings of Francesco Hayez) appearing 27 January 2016. At the time of his death, he was an Emeritus professor at the University of Bologna, where he taught for much of his life. In the 21st century, he has continued to gain recognition for his 1995 essay "Ur-Fascism", where Eco lists fourteen general properties he believes comprise fascist ideologies.
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October 18, 2023
Cartea lui Eco are, în original, un supratitlu pe care traducătorii (români, francezi, englezi) nu l-au păstrat. Nu-mi dau seama de ce. Supratitlul e un verset din cîntul al VII-lea din Infernul lui Dante Alighieri. Sună în chipul următor: „Pape Satàn Aleppe”. În pofida miilor de încercări de a o descifra, expresia a rămas misterioasă pînă astăzi. Nici în italiană nu are sens.
În schimb, este foarte elocventă pentru vremurile noastre haotice, cînd toată lumea vrea să spună ceva (pe bloguri, pe Twitter, pe Facebook, pe forumul gazetelor) și nimeni nu înțelege absolut nimic. Corul a devenit cacofonie. Pentru acest motiv, aș fi păstrat supratitlul întocmai cum e. Pare definiția haosului vocal.
Umberto Eco a fost un publicist perseverent, sagace, curios și foarte atent la evenimentele din jur (inclusiv la trăsnăile românilor din diaspora). Sigur, cîteva articole sînt comentarii de carte, recenzii, dar cele mai multe discută evoluțiile „societății lichide” (id est ale societății lipsite de repere) în care trăim.
Ceea ce l-a intrigat pe autor (ceea ce mă intrigă și pe mine) este despuierea publică, striptease-ul unanim, renunțarea la intimitate și privacy a/le omului contemporan. Am ajuns - fără să ne oblige nimeni - să trăim în public. Toți ceilalți știu ce adrese de mail avem, ce mîncăruri ne plac (dacă preferăm brînza de oaie sau de capră), ce cărți citim, pe cine simpatizăm și pe cine urîm, cînd avem de gînd să mergem la teatru, cînd divorțăm, pe unde hoinărim în vacanțe etc. Am transformat lumea în statul lui Big Brother și asta fără să fim constrînși de autorități. Am renunțat de bună voie și nesiliți de nimeni la mult invocata (în pandemie) libertate. Nu mai este nevoie de nici o supraveghere, toată lumea știe cu precizie ce face toată lumea. Nu există excepții. Nimeni nu mai urmează vechiul precept: „Trăiește bine numai cel care știe să se ascundă bine: Bene vixit, bene qui latuit” (Ovidiu, Tristia, III: 4, 25).
Pe vremuri se ridicau reputații. Astăzi, observă Umberto Eco, individul e avid de notorietate. Vrea să fie văzut și recunoscut, vrea să producă zarvă, vrea să trezească uimiri, vrea interjecții. Ajungi notoriu (adică un „om împlinit”), atunci cînd poporul te arată cu degetul pe stradă și vrea să facă o poză cu tine. Iar pentru a deveni cunoscuți, sîntem în stare de orice. Scopul scuză mijloacele.
Umberto Eco e foarte sever cu telefonul mobil (uneori, e o pacoste, recunosc), dar și cu dezordinea alfabetică a internetului. A memora informații nu e nici o scofală, cel mai bun lucru este să învățăm arta discriminării (între bine și rău, între util și toxic, între valoros și mediocru etc.). Din păcate, nimeni nu mai stăpînește această artă...
În schimb, este foarte elocventă pentru vremurile noastre haotice, cînd toată lumea vrea să spună ceva (pe bloguri, pe Twitter, pe Facebook, pe forumul gazetelor) și nimeni nu înțelege absolut nimic. Corul a devenit cacofonie. Pentru acest motiv, aș fi păstrat supratitlul întocmai cum e. Pare definiția haosului vocal.
Umberto Eco a fost un publicist perseverent, sagace, curios și foarte atent la evenimentele din jur (inclusiv la trăsnăile românilor din diaspora). Sigur, cîteva articole sînt comentarii de carte, recenzii, dar cele mai multe discută evoluțiile „societății lichide” (id est ale societății lipsite de repere) în care trăim.
Ceea ce l-a intrigat pe autor (ceea ce mă intrigă și pe mine) este despuierea publică, striptease-ul unanim, renunțarea la intimitate și privacy a/le omului contemporan. Am ajuns - fără să ne oblige nimeni - să trăim în public. Toți ceilalți știu ce adrese de mail avem, ce mîncăruri ne plac (dacă preferăm brînza de oaie sau de capră), ce cărți citim, pe cine simpatizăm și pe cine urîm, cînd avem de gînd să mergem la teatru, cînd divorțăm, pe unde hoinărim în vacanțe etc. Am transformat lumea în statul lui Big Brother și asta fără să fim constrînși de autorități. Am renunțat de bună voie și nesiliți de nimeni la mult invocata (în pandemie) libertate. Nu mai este nevoie de nici o supraveghere, toată lumea știe cu precizie ce face toată lumea. Nu există excepții. Nimeni nu mai urmează vechiul precept: „Trăiește bine numai cel care știe să se ascundă bine: Bene vixit, bene qui latuit” (Ovidiu, Tristia, III: 4, 25).
Pe vremuri se ridicau reputații. Astăzi, observă Umberto Eco, individul e avid de notorietate. Vrea să fie văzut și recunoscut, vrea să producă zarvă, vrea să trezească uimiri, vrea interjecții. Ajungi notoriu (adică un „om împlinit”), atunci cînd poporul te arată cu degetul pe stradă și vrea să facă o poză cu tine. Iar pentru a deveni cunoscuți, sîntem în stare de orice. Scopul scuză mijloacele.
Umberto Eco e foarte sever cu telefonul mobil (uneori, e o pacoste, recunosc), dar și cu dezordinea alfabetică a internetului. A memora informații nu e nici o scofală, cel mai bun lucru este să învățăm arta discriminării (între bine și rău, între util și toxic, între valoros și mediocru etc.). Din păcate, nimeni nu mai stăpînește această artă...
November 7, 2020
Остроумно и забавно четиво с лек оттенък на нетолерантност към глупостта.
Любимото ми <3
Любимото ми <3
December 1, 2016
Αγαπημένος.
January 21, 2021
Любимият ми дядо интелектуалец.
Как липсват такива хора. Болезнено.
Написха и отзив, който може да се прочете тук.
Как липсват такива хора. Болезнено.
Написха и отзив, който може да се прочете тук.
September 16, 2023
كتاب رائع. ممتع ومفيد. يجمع فيه الروائي الشهير "أُمبرتو إيكو" مقالات قصيرة انتقاها وحرّرها من مجموع مقالاته التي كتبها على مدى خمس عشرة سنة.
في هذا الكتاب نصحب "إيكو" المثقف المفكّر، والكاتب اللاذع، خفيف الظلّ رشيق العبارة؛ في رحلة متعددة الاتجاهات، مختلفة الاهتمامات، تتراوح ما بين الشخصي، والخاص الإيطالي والأوروبي، والعامّ الدولي والإنسانيّ.
والكتاب غني بالأفكار الجميلة، واللفتات الذكية، بالإضافة إلى الطرافة والتهكمبة التي تصبغ أسلوب "إيكو".
وقد جاء العنوان متناسبًا مع طرافة أسلوب "إيكو" وثقافته، وسأترك العنوان لقارئ فضولي يبحث عن معناه.
وإن كان "إيكو" قد ظُلم كثيراً في ترجماته إلى العربية، فإن هذا الكتاب قد أنصفه في ترجمة أنيقة على يد "معاوية عبدالمجيد".
في هذا الكتاب نصحب "إيكو" المثقف المفكّر، والكاتب اللاذع، خفيف الظلّ رشيق العبارة؛ في رحلة متعددة الاتجاهات، مختلفة الاهتمامات، تتراوح ما بين الشخصي، والخاص الإيطالي والأوروبي، والعامّ الدولي والإنسانيّ.
والكتاب غني بالأفكار الجميلة، واللفتات الذكية، بالإضافة إلى الطرافة والتهكمبة التي تصبغ أسلوب "إيكو".
وقد جاء العنوان متناسبًا مع طرافة أسلوب "إيكو" وثقافته، وسأترك العنوان لقارئ فضولي يبحث عن معناه.
وإن كان "إيكو" قد ظُلم كثيراً في ترجماته إلى العربية، فإن هذا الكتاب قد أنصفه في ترجمة أنيقة على يد "معاوية عبدالمجيد".
November 25, 2021
Сборник с текстове с висока ерудиция и умерен сарказъм. Размишленията на Еко са интелектуални и изтънчени, с лек септицизъм и насмешка.
Приятно и остроумно четиво.
Приятно и остроумно четиво.
February 1, 2018
3.5 ⭐️ I have quite a mixed feelings after finishing this book - hence the lukewarm rating.
I was somewhat disappointed to discover that this is not a book of essays (as I expected) but a collection of Eco's newspaper column articles. The nature of the original media dictates the format of most entries: extra short (500 - 1500 words each), 'newspaper language', written in response to a certain event (some of which felt either dated or way too regional)... So overall it reads a bit bitty, piecemeal. Not my sweet spot.
The articles are grouped by thematic blocks or chapters. The ones I enjoyed the most were 'Turning Back the Clock' and 'On Books' (surprise-surprise). They alone would get full 5-stars from me. Others fared much worse...
On the other hand, it was a wonderful glimpse into the working of the mind of a true titan of erudition and intelligence. I have missed the worldly wisdom of Umberto Eco and it was good to spend some more time in his company.
I was somewhat disappointed to discover that this is not a book of essays (as I expected) but a collection of Eco's newspaper column articles. The nature of the original media dictates the format of most entries: extra short (500 - 1500 words each), 'newspaper language', written in response to a certain event (some of which felt either dated or way too regional)... So overall it reads a bit bitty, piecemeal. Not my sweet spot.
The articles are grouped by thematic blocks or chapters. The ones I enjoyed the most were 'Turning Back the Clock' and 'On Books' (surprise-surprise). They alone would get full 5-stars from me. Others fared much worse...
On the other hand, it was a wonderful glimpse into the working of the mind of a true titan of erudition and intelligence. I have missed the worldly wisdom of Umberto Eco and it was good to spend some more time in his company.
January 31, 2019
Tā droši vien ir glaimošana sev pašai, kad lasu tāda cilvēka kā Umberto Eko esejas un piekrītoši māju ar galvu, priecājoties - re, kā mums viedokļi saskan! Droši vien, ja viņš būtu rakstījis kādam specializētam izdevumam, nevis dienas avīzes slejai, apstiprinātos, ka es un viņš esam no divām tāltālām galaktikām. Bet, hei, viņš šīs mazās esejas ir uzrakstījis ļoti gudras un vienlaikus bez intelektuālas augstprātības. Es varētu par tām runāt daudz, bet labāk ir izlasīt pašiem un ļauties pārdomām par dzīvi un lietām. Tik ļoti gribētos, lai šo grāmatu izdod arī latviešu valodā. Jo es ar to labprāt daudziem iemestu.
“The secret of my success is that at an early age I discovered that I was not God.” - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.
“The secret of my success is that at an early age I discovered that I was not God.” - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.
July 14, 2019
Volume ricco di spunti di riflessione, uscito postumo nel 2016, copre un arco temporale di quindici anni attraverso l'antologia delle famose bustine di Minerva che, pur risalendo la prima al 1985, interessano gli anni a partire dal 2000 fino alla morte dell'autore. Il taglio è sempre il medesimo, un contributo breve dalla sintesi perspicace che partendo da un assunto, ma spesso e volentieri da un dubbio,si chiude con una nota comica, il picco massimo, a mio parere, della genialità espressiva dell'autore. Un microtesto che condensa ogni volta spunti di riflessione i quali pur descrivendo le storture della società liquida, e in questo inquietandoci, riesce poi con abile virata a offrire chiavi di lettura e prospettive inaudite con il chiaro scopo di sdrammatizzare e soprattutto di tentare una lettura non disfattista ma critica e funzionale alla soluzione dei problemi. Per comodità di fruizione gli interventi antologizzati sono riuniti in nuclei tematici senza seguire il criterio cronologico e ciò da modo di avere uno sguardo di insieme capace di far emergere l'interesse trasversale di Eco ai diversi problemi della nostra contemporaneità spesso anticipando, il nostro, considerazioni che sorgono spontanee in molti quando il fenomeno è acclamato e non latente e quindi ancora di difficoltosa lettura. Involuzione tecnologica, web, libri, le grandi tensioni dell'odio e dell'amore, l'apparire, il falso problema della privacy, il decadimento dei principali canali formativi: scuola e università, la perdita della dimensione storica se riferita al passato, ovvero la perdita della memoria, stupidità e follia. Una lettura arricchente e comoda, nella sua forma di selezione, anche per chi all'epoca non si è perso nemmeno una bustina; è sempre bello d'altronde ritrovare un appunto scritto su un foglio per la sua capacità intrinseca che possiede di rievocare un'epoca, un sentimento, un tempo che non c'è più ma che ha concorso a formare la nostra visione attuale del presente.
November 8, 2020
Хроники на едно разпадащо се общество: http://knigolandia.info/book-review/p...
Еко говори за това, че историята трябва да се помни, за да не се повтаря, разказва старогръцки драми като злободневни клюки от жълт вестник – и показва как нищо ново няма под слънцето, констатира, че в социална мрежа се търси резюме на негов разказ, който възлиза цифром и словом на пет странички, коментира с огорчение, че “…майката на глупавите все е бременна…”, нерядко критикува смело Берлускони и неговата популистка власт, но и умело се шегува с него: “…не е възможно Берлускони да бъде сравняван с Хитлер, защото Хитлер е бил прочут със своята моногамност.”
Colibri Books
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/p...
Еко говори за това, че историята трябва да се помни, за да не се повтаря, разказва старогръцки драми като злободневни клюки от жълт вестник – и показва как нищо ново няма под слънцето, констатира, че в социална мрежа се търси резюме на негов разказ, който възлиза цифром и словом на пет странички, коментира с огорчение, че “…майката на глупавите все е бременна…”, нерядко критикува смело Берлускони и неговата популистка власт, но и умело се шегува с него: “…не е възможно Берлускони да бъде сравняван с Хитлер, защото Хитлер е бил прочут със своята моногамност.”
Colibri Books
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/p...
August 20, 2018
A compilation of short essays Eco wrote over the course of the last 20 years of his life, for L’Espresso magazine.
Most are interesting, some with sharp insight into trends he spotted that plague us today (for example, everyone - apparently - is now an exhibitionist and wants nothing more than to be recognized, whether for doing something good or being a fool, it doesn't matter as long as the person is recognized). Some of the essays are very dated, but for the most part they are still fun to read.
Eco, for all of his intellect and reputation as a difficult author to read, is actually quite accessible and funny.
Most are interesting, some with sharp insight into trends he spotted that plague us today (for example, everyone - apparently - is now an exhibitionist and wants nothing more than to be recognized, whether for doing something good or being a fool, it doesn't matter as long as the person is recognized). Some of the essays are very dated, but for the most part they are still fun to read.
Eco, for all of his intellect and reputation as a difficult author to read, is actually quite accessible and funny.
August 29, 2018
Umberto plantea los objetos como signos al sostener que los mismos conceptos de los objetos tienen que ser considerados a partir de la semiótica. Somos una sociedad materialista donde el intelecto no es un fenómeno que se pueda observar científicamente, Para eco el lenguaje no tiene origen y por lo tanto es el origen de todo. Al no tener origen el lenguaje ya no esta en representación de nada y por ende pierde su relación con el ser y la verdad.
April 19, 2020
Hellsichtige, sehr lesenswerte Kolumnen.
November 3, 2017
This collection of over 100 short newspaper columns is an excellent choice to download to your phone reading app of choice in case you find yourself with a few minutes to spare. Whatever uninformed opinions and clickbait that might appear on Twitter or Facebook at the moment you are occupying will not be a fraction as edifying and entertaining as even the dumbest thing the late Umberto Eco had to say.
When an author passes away, his or her estate usually gets busy hustling out in book form whatever leftover odds and ends they can. This is one of those books. This is not to imply that the contents of this book are unworthy of publication or that greedy relatives are cashing in. However, these are columns from a first weekly, and then semi-weekly, column that Eco did for a major Italian newspaper. If they are read one after another, there is a certain sameness. Still, Eco is not to be faulted, I feel, as even the most creative person may have difficulty coming up with fresh perspectives week after week, and many opinions we hold are sincerely held for long periods. The upshot is occasionally the same point gets made two or three times in this collection, a shortcoming that Eco freely admits to in the book’s foreward. Hence the recommendation for optimal consumption above.
Of course, in a collection like this, quality will vary, as happens when people are writing on deadline. There are a two essays that I felt, simply, should not have seen the light of day again.
One is “Return to Sender” (Kindle location 3419), which contains an error of fact so preposterous that somebody, somewhere, should have prevented it from be published once again. Here it is:
(BTW, I actually checked with the public affairs office of the US Federal Reserve which confirmed that they never considered such a proposal.)
The second essay that really didn't deserve revival is “The Miraculous Mortacc” (location 3699). There are no errors of fact in this essay. It’s just sort of a lazy one-joke piece. Summary: Eco gets some prescription medicine. The medicine comes with the comprehensive required but gruesome list of side effects which could conceivably occur in a tiny minority of cases. After Eco (and the reader) view the entire list,
But far more essays are delightful and will brighten any unexplained delay in public transportation. I especially enjoy when Eco writes about the vexing questions of popular culture, like, “Is Harry Potter bad for adults?” (l. 2844) (Answer:), and why does the home address of detective Nero Wolfe on West 34th Street seem to slide up and down, east and west, seemingly at random?
Eco also has interesting thoughts on fake news, the cell phone, conspiracies, racism, Catholicism, unread books, book collecting, and being quoted out of context. In general, each essay in this book is like going straight to the most interesting column in the newspaper and reading it, but without having to start and abandon all the less interesting columns first.
Many people and historical events are referred to in this book which I did not recognize. In some cases, this is probably due to my inadequate education, and others surely reflected Eco's erudition and love of the obscure. However, I did not feel bad at failing to recognize certain politicians and popular culture figures which may have been familiar to Italian newspaper readers at the moment of original publication. Below, I attempt to corral the references that I did not understand and link them to explanatons, for the possible edification of those of us condemned to live in English-speaking culture. I left out references to people and things which I did not recognize but which I felt were adequately explained in the text, for example, “politicians like Urbano Ratazzi and Francesco Crispi” (l. 542) and “Michel Serres is the finest philosophical mind in France today” (l. 563).
Milingo (l. 179), the Republic of Salò (l. 260),
Redonda (l. 330) (Eco actually tells readers to look it up in Wikipedia – I did it for you), pataphysical (l. 331), Stendhal Syndrome (l. 465), Donna Haraway (l. 477), Charles Sanders Pierce (l. 496 and numerous other places), Alcide De Gasperi (l. 539), Pietro Badoglio (l. 539), Luigi Facta (l. 541), monocotyledons (l. 832), Countess of Castiglione (l. 838), Palmiro Togliatti (l. 846), Padre Pio (l. 853), Wanda Osiris (l. 868), Roberto Saviano (l. 941), non possumus (l. 977), Ugo Foscolo (l. 977), the Prix Italia (l. 1308), Theodor Adorno (l. 1318), Countess Pia Bellentani (l. 1571), Piacenza (l. 1594), Maurice Merleau-Ponty (l. 1840), Evola (l. 1890), Montanist (l. 1925), Mario Appelius (l. 2066), “Sister Lúcia's letter about the third secret of Fatima” (l. 2139), Chaldeans (l. 2197), Champollion (l. 2205), Benedetto Croce (l. 2228), Richard Rorty (l. 2242), Quine (l. 2249), Pictura est laicorum literatura (l. 2389), “mulier amicta solis” (l. 2489) (apparently the final word in this phrase was misspelled by Eco or misprinted, should be “sole”), Burchiello (l. 2505), Nerval (l. 2518), Leopardi (l. 2518), Mario Luzi (l. 2518), Eusebius of Caesarea (l. 2530), Lateran Treaty (l. 2631), respondeo dicendum quod (l. 2778), bravoes (l. 2825), the Fox and the Cat (l. 2878), incunabulum (l. 2940, 3130 and 3731), babirusas (l. 2992), Tex Willer (l. 3174), Totò (l. 3181), the Tupamaros in Uruguay (l. 3608), the Thebaid (l. 3618), the Salton Sea (l. 3678)
I received a free electronic galley copy of this book for review. Thanks to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for their generosity.
When an author passes away, his or her estate usually gets busy hustling out in book form whatever leftover odds and ends they can. This is one of those books. This is not to imply that the contents of this book are unworthy of publication or that greedy relatives are cashing in. However, these are columns from a first weekly, and then semi-weekly, column that Eco did for a major Italian newspaper. If they are read one after another, there is a certain sameness. Still, Eco is not to be faulted, I feel, as even the most creative person may have difficulty coming up with fresh perspectives week after week, and many opinions we hold are sincerely held for long periods. The upshot is occasionally the same point gets made two or three times in this collection, a shortcoming that Eco freely admits to in the book’s foreward. Hence the recommendation for optimal consumption above.
Of course, in a collection like this, quality will vary, as happens when people are writing on deadline. There are a two essays that I felt, simply, should not have seen the light of day again.
One is “Return to Sender” (Kindle location 3419), which contains an error of fact so preposterous that somebody, somewhere, should have prevented it from be published once again. Here it is:
I read recently in La Repubblica that the Federal Reserve are worried about deflation: people are not spending as much, prices are falling, a crisis worse than in times of deflation. So they propose a perishable dollar -- in other words, a banknote with a magnetic strip that gradually loses value, and also loses value if you keep if in the bank.I’m sure Eco was telling the truth when he said this absurd proposal appeared in an Italian newspaper, but he should have had enough sense to check for himself. Failing that, the editor or publisher should have either cut this essay out of the collection, or noted this silly mistake for what it was.
(BTW, I actually checked with the public affairs office of the US Federal Reserve which confirmed that they never considered such a proposal.)
The second essay that really didn't deserve revival is “The Miraculous Mortacc” (location 3699). There are no errors of fact in this essay. It’s just sort of a lazy one-joke piece. Summary: Eco gets some prescription medicine. The medicine comes with the comprehensive required but gruesome list of side effects which could conceivably occur in a tiny minority of cases. After Eco (and the reader) view the entire list,
But far more essays are delightful and will brighten any unexplained delay in public transportation. I especially enjoy when Eco writes about the vexing questions of popular culture, like, “Is Harry Potter bad for adults?” (l. 2844) (Answer:), and why does the home address of detective Nero Wolfe on West 34th Street seem to slide up and down, east and west, seemingly at random?
Eco also has interesting thoughts on fake news, the cell phone, conspiracies, racism, Catholicism, unread books, book collecting, and being quoted out of context. In general, each essay in this book is like going straight to the most interesting column in the newspaper and reading it, but without having to start and abandon all the less interesting columns first.
Many people and historical events are referred to in this book which I did not recognize. In some cases, this is probably due to my inadequate education, and others surely reflected Eco's erudition and love of the obscure. However, I did not feel bad at failing to recognize certain politicians and popular culture figures which may have been familiar to Italian newspaper readers at the moment of original publication. Below, I attempt to corral the references that I did not understand and link them to explanatons, for the possible edification of those of us condemned to live in English-speaking culture. I left out references to people and things which I did not recognize but which I felt were adequately explained in the text, for example, “politicians like Urbano Ratazzi and Francesco Crispi” (l. 542) and “Michel Serres is the finest philosophical mind in France today” (l. 563).
Milingo (l. 179), the Republic of Salò (l. 260),
Redonda (l. 330) (Eco actually tells readers to look it up in Wikipedia – I did it for you), pataphysical (l. 331), Stendhal Syndrome (l. 465), Donna Haraway (l. 477), Charles Sanders Pierce (l. 496 and numerous other places), Alcide De Gasperi (l. 539), Pietro Badoglio (l. 539), Luigi Facta (l. 541), monocotyledons (l. 832), Countess of Castiglione (l. 838), Palmiro Togliatti (l. 846), Padre Pio (l. 853), Wanda Osiris (l. 868), Roberto Saviano (l. 941), non possumus (l. 977), Ugo Foscolo (l. 977), the Prix Italia (l. 1308), Theodor Adorno (l. 1318), Countess Pia Bellentani (l. 1571), Piacenza (l. 1594), Maurice Merleau-Ponty (l. 1840), Evola (l. 1890), Montanist (l. 1925), Mario Appelius (l. 2066), “Sister Lúcia's letter about the third secret of Fatima” (l. 2139), Chaldeans (l. 2197), Champollion (l. 2205), Benedetto Croce (l. 2228), Richard Rorty (l. 2242), Quine (l. 2249), Pictura est laicorum literatura (l. 2389), “mulier amicta solis” (l. 2489) (apparently the final word in this phrase was misspelled by Eco or misprinted, should be “sole”), Burchiello (l. 2505), Nerval (l. 2518), Leopardi (l. 2518), Mario Luzi (l. 2518), Eusebius of Caesarea (l. 2530), Lateran Treaty (l. 2631), respondeo dicendum quod (l. 2778), bravoes (l. 2825), the Fox and the Cat (l. 2878), incunabulum (l. 2940, 3130 and 3731), babirusas (l. 2992), Tex Willer (l. 3174), Totò (l. 3181), the Tupamaros in Uruguay (l. 3608), the Thebaid (l. 3618), the Salton Sea (l. 3678)
I received a free electronic galley copy of this book for review. Thanks to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for their generosity.
February 11, 2019
Tas bija patiess literārs baudījums. Eko prot interesanti stāstīt gan par nopietnām lietām- politika, reliģija, māksla utt.,paralēli iepinot stāstā pornoaktrišu zobu stāvokli,komiksus un Dž. Bušu. Izcili....
June 28, 2019
Umberto Eko kā esejists ir labāks rakstnieks kā romānists. Grūtāk gāja ar filozofijas nodaļu, jo to nekad neesmu mācījusies, man tumša bilde, bet visu pārējo izbaudīju - domu skaidrību, precīzo valodu, trāpīgos novērojumus.
April 3, 2022
Es difícil dar una "puntuación" cerrada a un libro tan heterogéneo como lo es una recopilación de ensayos (aunque esta esté subdividida en temas). A mi parecer es un libro que fluctúa mucho entre las 3 y las 5 estrellas, realmente depende de que ensayo cojas. Hay momentos de pura genialidad, donde Eco entiende los lugares comunes del diálogo y se los salta complemente para dejar una reflexión que no se siente gastada; pero, inevitablemente, nos encontramos con esos ensayos de "viejo señor", en los que todo tiempo anterior era mejor.
En tal espectro un trío de ensayos que me gustaron mucho fueron:
1) "Cómo matar a los jóvenes y obtener un beneficio mutuo"
2) "Cómo copiar de Internet"
3) "¿Harry Potter perjudica a los adultos?"
Y tres que me parecieron nefastos:
1) "Una generación de alienígenas"
2) "El libro de texto como maestro"
3) "¿Realmente hemos inventado muchas cosas?"
Estos últimos 3 son particularmente desagradables, porque fue Umberto Eco quien escribió "Apocalípticos e Integrados" y uno espera que el hombre esté más pilas con algunas visiones apocalípticas que se le salen como baba de viejo rabioso. Pero, con todo y eso, son (a mí criterio y cuenta) solo 8 ensayos Apocalípticos en un libro con más de 80 ensayos.
En tal espectro un trío de ensayos que me gustaron mucho fueron:
1) "Cómo matar a los jóvenes y obtener un beneficio mutuo"
2) "Cómo copiar de Internet"
3) "¿Harry Potter perjudica a los adultos?"
Y tres que me parecieron nefastos:
1) "Una generación de alienígenas"
2) "El libro de texto como maestro"
3) "¿Realmente hemos inventado muchas cosas?"
Estos últimos 3 son particularmente desagradables, porque fue Umberto Eco quien escribió "Apocalípticos e Integrados" y uno espera que el hombre esté más pilas con algunas visiones apocalípticas que se le salen como baba de viejo rabioso. Pero, con todo y eso, son (a mí criterio y cuenta) solo 8 ensayos Apocalípticos en un libro con más de 80 ensayos.
February 9, 2019
Umberto Eco man visada labai patiko. Gal tai kiek kuklus išsireiškimas, bet vėlgi, aš kaip ir neketinu čia ir dabar prisipažinti jam meilėje, o ir emocija ta nėra ant tiek stipri. Bet nepaisant to, jo vardas man visada sukelia asociaciją su gera knyga, o kartais jis sugeba ir nustebinti.
Apie pačią šią knygą per daug nesiplėsiu, pasakysiu tik tiek, kad tai yra jo esė rinkinys. 25erius metus jis kas antrą savaitę rašė po esė kažkuriam iš vietinių Italijos laikraščių, aptardamas viską, kas tik jam atrodė aktualu ir verta aptarimo, tad nenuostabu ir tai, jog šios atrinktos geriausios iš geriausiųjų - kurių knygoje gerokai virš 100 - apima itin platų spektrą. Tiesa, turbūt nieko nenustebinsiu ir parašydamas, kad vienos esė net ir po selekcijos vistiek yra geresnės už kitas. Pilnai tikiu, kad 2000-aisiais metais Umberto nusistebėjimas ir pamąstymai apie tai, kad emailą gali kas nori registruoti kokiu nori vardu, kad ir Umberto Eco, buvo gal ir visai smagūs, bet dabar toks tekstas jau beviltiškai pasenęs ir daugiau graudžiai juokingas, nei aktualus.
Nepaisant to, kai kurios temos - pavyzdžiui apie senuomenės ir jaunuomenės tarpusavio santykį - yra amžinai aktualios ir nekintančios, o autoriaus smagi satyra ir aštri plunksna gerai kelia į paviršių visus abiejų pusių standartinius nepasitenkinimus vienas kitu.
Nieko labai wow šioje knygoje nebuvo, bet tos trys žvaigžutės, kurias jai skiriu, yra labai stiprios ir pelnytos.
Apie pačią šią knygą per daug nesiplėsiu, pasakysiu tik tiek, kad tai yra jo esė rinkinys. 25erius metus jis kas antrą savaitę rašė po esė kažkuriam iš vietinių Italijos laikraščių, aptardamas viską, kas tik jam atrodė aktualu ir verta aptarimo, tad nenuostabu ir tai, jog šios atrinktos geriausios iš geriausiųjų - kurių knygoje gerokai virš 100 - apima itin platų spektrą. Tiesa, turbūt nieko nenustebinsiu ir parašydamas, kad vienos esė net ir po selekcijos vistiek yra geresnės už kitas. Pilnai tikiu, kad 2000-aisiais metais Umberto nusistebėjimas ir pamąstymai apie tai, kad emailą gali kas nori registruoti kokiu nori vardu, kad ir Umberto Eco, buvo gal ir visai smagūs, bet dabar toks tekstas jau beviltiškai pasenęs ir daugiau graudžiai juokingas, nei aktualus.
Nepaisant to, kai kurios temos - pavyzdžiui apie senuomenės ir jaunuomenės tarpusavio santykį - yra amžinai aktualios ir nekintančios, o autoriaus smagi satyra ir aštri plunksna gerai kelia į paviršių visus abiejų pusių standartinius nepasitenkinimus vienas kitu.
Nieko labai wow šioje knygoje nebuvo, bet tos trys žvaigžutės, kurias jai skiriu, yra labai stiprios ir pelnytos.
January 28, 2019
ตามอ่านมาตั้งแต่เล่ม "การเดินทางของเเซลมอน" เพราะชอบลีลาการเสียดสีและมุกตลกเล็กๆน้อยๆ
ความเรียงในเล่มนี้เกี่ยวข้องกับเทคโนโลยี การอ่าน สังคมยุคใหม่ หนังสือในอนาคต และการรู้จักเลือกสรรข้อมูลที่น่าเชื่อถือท่ามกลางข้อมูลปริมาณมหาศาล
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เล่มนี้เราให้ห้าดาวเลย เพราะว่ามันมาตอบคำถามเกี่ยวกับเรื่องหนังสือและการอ่านในใจเราตอนนี้พอดี
ความเรียงยาวตอนละสามสี่หน้านี้ มองเผินๆ ก็น่าจะเขียนง่าย แต่จริงๆแล้วไม่ง่าย
เขียนสั้นให้สื่อสารลงตัวและครอบคลุมแบบนี้ เชื่อมโยงสิ่งยากมาสู่สิ่งง่ายในชีวิตประจำวัน
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อ่านแล้วอยากเขียนได้แบบนี้บ้าง เราว่านี่คือความเรียงที่โคตรมีชั้นเชิง และกลั่นจากประสบการณ์หลายปีของคนวรรณคดีที่สนใจใฝ่รู้หลากหลายด้าน รักลุง
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แว่วว่า สนพ. อ่านอิตาลี บอกว่าอาจมีเล่มต่อไปของลุงอีก เรานี่รอเลย :)
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เล่มนี้ทำให้เราคิดในหัวว่า ความเรียงเจ๋งๆ มันต้องแบบนี้ดิ!
ความเรียงในเล่มนี้เกี่ยวข้องกับเทคโนโลยี การอ่าน สังคมยุคใหม่ หนังสือในอนาคต และการรู้จักเลือกสรรข้อมูลที่น่าเชื่อถือท่ามกลางข้อมูลปริมาณมหาศาล
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เล่มนี้เราให้ห้าดาวเลย เพราะว่ามันมาตอบคำถามเกี่ยวกับเรื่องหนังสือและการอ่านในใจเราตอนนี้พอดี
ความเรียงยาวตอนละสามสี่หน้านี้ มองเผินๆ ก็น่าจะเขียนง่าย แต่จริงๆแล้วไม่ง่าย
เขียนสั้นให้สื่อสารลงตัวและครอบคลุมแบบนี้ เชื่อมโยงสิ่งยากมาสู่สิ่งง่ายในชีวิตประจำวัน
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อ่านแล้วอยากเขียนได้แบบนี้บ้าง เราว่านี่คือความเรียงที่โคตรมีชั้นเชิง และกลั่นจากประสบการณ์หลายปีของคนวรรณคดีที่สนใจใฝ่รู้หลากหลายด้าน รักลุง
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แว่วว่า สนพ. อ่านอิตาลี บอกว่าอาจมีเล่มต่อไปของลุงอีก เรานี่รอเลย :)
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เล่มนี้ทำให้เราคิดในหัวว่า ความเรียงเจ๋งๆ มันต้องแบบนี้ดิ!
September 23, 2017
Umberto Eco'nun engin kültüründen yararlanmak isteyenlere, onlarca deneme içeren 500 sayfalık bir kaynak kitap. Keyifli okumanın yanısıra bazen güldüren bazen düşündüren bir kitap. Tek olumsuzluluğu İtalya'nın (doğal olarak) politika, media, sanat olayları vb konu ve olayları fazlaca işlemesi, bazen insanı sıkıyor ama bu kadarı da olacak.
December 8, 2020
Впечатляваща книга, събрала размишленията на гениален ум и анализатор на нашето време. Макар и тясно свързана с конкретни събития, случили се в Италия (все пак са есета от колонката на Еко във в. Еспресо), от тази конкретика той извежда големите и общочовешки теми, проблемите на обществото и очертаващите се тенденции в развитието на човечеството.
Книга за бавно четене и много мислене.
Книга за бавно четене и много мислене.
February 21, 2019
ชอบบทว่าด้วยความเกลียดและความรักมากๆ พออ่านหลายชิ้นรวมกันเราจะเห็นท่าทีของเอโคที่วิพากษ์วิจารณ์เทคโนโลยีสมัยใหม่ ซึ่งซีเรียสมากจนบางทีก็ดูตลกๆ แต่บางบทยอมรับว่าคมมาก อ่านแล้วรู้สึกว่า 'เออหวะ ทำไมเราไม่เคยคิดแบบนี้เลยวะ' จนต้องหยิบ 'มือถือ' มาถ่ายโควตเก็บไว้เลย 55555
January 12, 2022
В сборника "Pape Satàn aleppe. Хроники на едно течно общество" място намират някои от последните статии, които Умберто Еко пише в своята емблематична рубрика "Бустина ди Минерва".
Да четеш тези текстове е като да се наслаждаваш на чаша италианско еспресо.
☕ Кратки са и бързо се чатат, но са също цветни и богати на нюанси - в тях има много хумор, малко тъга и щипка непримиримост.
☕ От множеството горещи теми и събития, наситили делниците на италианците, Еко съумява да открои важното и да му придаде смисъл, който понякога убягва. И прави това с финеса на писателя и силата на интелектуалеца.
☕ Но най-хубавото е, че прочетеното звучи близко и познато, а това носи утеха, защото може да си кажеш - "И тук е така. При нас е същото!".
В забързаното ежедневие е хубаво да си откраднеш няколко минути и да изпиеш чаша ароматно кафе.
Още по-хубаво е да имаш това време, за да четеш автор, който има какво да ти каже и причина да го направи.
Да четеш тези текстове е като да се наслаждаваш на чаша италианско еспресо.
☕ Кратки са и бързо се чатат, но са също цветни и богати на нюанси - в тях има много хумор, малко тъга и щипка непримиримост.
☕ От множеството горещи теми и събития, наситили делниците на италианците, Еко съумява да открои важното и да му придаде смисъл, който понякога убягва. И прави това с финеса на писателя и силата на интелектуалеца.
☕ Но най-хубавото е, че прочетеното звучи близко и познато, а това носи утеха, защото може да си кажеш - "И тук е така. При нас е същото!".
В забързаното ежедневие е хубаво да си откраднеш няколко минути и да изпиеш чаша ароматно кафе.
Още по-хубаво е да имаш това време, за да четеш автор, който има какво да ти каже и причина да го направи.
August 20, 2018
Pe alocuri, destul de multe, este cartea-pereche pentru "Civilizația spectacolului" - Vargas Llosa!
ps. și aici am găsit "paralele" cu societatea românească. Spre exemplu, Eco explică destul de bine, vorbind despre "aleșii neamului", de folosirea populismului mediatic coroborat cu apelul la instinctele necontrolate ale unei populații care nu are deprinderile unei educații critice.
pps. ca să vedem cât de mult semănăm cu "frații noștri de gintă latină", doar două exemple: guvernatorul unei regiuni folosea mașina poliției pentru "afaceri private"; o lege electorală ("Lege Porcellum", 2005) a fost declarată neconstituțională după opt ani.
ps. și aici am găsit "paralele" cu societatea românească. Spre exemplu, Eco explică destul de bine, vorbind despre "aleșii neamului", de folosirea populismului mediatic coroborat cu apelul la instinctele necontrolate ale unei populații care nu are deprinderile unei educații critice.
pps. ca să vedem cât de mult semănăm cu "frații noștri de gintă latină", doar două exemple: guvernatorul unei regiuni folosea mașina poliției pentru "afaceri private"; o lege electorală ("Lege Porcellum", 2005) a fost declarată neconstituțională după opt ani.
June 6, 2021
Societatea lichida este societatea postmodernista: fluida, transformabila.
Cartea este compusa din scurte eseuri grupate pe diverse teme. Teme de actualitate, multe dintre ele cunoscute si traite, altele specifice istoriei contemporane ale Italiei.
Cand citesc Umberto Eco, nu ma pot apleca cu respect in fata eruditiei acestui om. Pot spune ca este o placere sa il citesti navigand prin teme extrem de diverse: internet, rasism, educatie, politica, filozofie, carti.
Colectia de eseuri mi-a adus aminte de "Viata fara frica" - colectie de eseuri in diferite domenii ale lui Bertrand Russell. Acesta vorbea cu atata pofta despre el si despre principiile si punctele lui de vedere incat mi-a pierit pofta sa i le aflu pana la capat. M-am oprit undeva la jumatate.
Este clar, si in "Cronica...." avem de-a face cu opiniile lui Eco. Insa felul lui de a pune problema este mult mai placut, mai amuzant, mai erudit (mult mai erudit ca Russell). Si ii lipseste narcisismul lui Russell. Ce mai, e o lectura placuta.
O stea (sau jumatate de stea) pica din cauza ca i se consacra prea mult spatiu lui Berlusconi. Dar pentru italieni si italienofili e probabil picant.
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The liquid society is the postmodernist society: fluid, transformable.
The book is composed of short essays grouped under various themes. Contemporary themes, many of them known to me and dealt with by me, others specific to the contemporary history of Italy, too specific for a not italian reader to know of.
When I read Umberto Eco, I cannot bow down in awe to this man's erudition. I can say that it is a pleasure to enjoy his stories navigating through extremely diverse topics: the internet, racism, education, politics, philosophy, books.
This collection of essays reminded me of "Life Without Fear" - a collection of essays in various fields by Bertrand Russell. He spoke so hungrily about himself and his principles and views that I lost my appetite to read them all the way through. I stopped somewhere in the middle.
In "Chronicle...." we're also dealing with the views of an important literary figure. But Eco's way of putting it is much more pleasant, more amusing, more erudite (much more erudite than Russell). And he lacks Russell's narcissism. What else, it's an enjoyable read.
One star (or half a star) falls because too much space is devoted to Berlusconi. But for Italians and Italianophiles it's probably spicy.
Cartea este compusa din scurte eseuri grupate pe diverse teme. Teme de actualitate, multe dintre ele cunoscute si traite, altele specifice istoriei contemporane ale Italiei.
Cand citesc Umberto Eco, nu ma pot apleca cu respect in fata eruditiei acestui om. Pot spune ca este o placere sa il citesti navigand prin teme extrem de diverse: internet, rasism, educatie, politica, filozofie, carti.
Colectia de eseuri mi-a adus aminte de "Viata fara frica" - colectie de eseuri in diferite domenii ale lui Bertrand Russell. Acesta vorbea cu atata pofta despre el si despre principiile si punctele lui de vedere incat mi-a pierit pofta sa i le aflu pana la capat. M-am oprit undeva la jumatate.
Este clar, si in "Cronica...." avem de-a face cu opiniile lui Eco. Insa felul lui de a pune problema este mult mai placut, mai amuzant, mai erudit (mult mai erudit ca Russell). Si ii lipseste narcisismul lui Russell. Ce mai, e o lectura placuta.
O stea (sau jumatate de stea) pica din cauza ca i se consacra prea mult spatiu lui Berlusconi. Dar pentru italieni si italienofili e probabil picant.
**************************
The liquid society is the postmodernist society: fluid, transformable.
The book is composed of short essays grouped under various themes. Contemporary themes, many of them known to me and dealt with by me, others specific to the contemporary history of Italy, too specific for a not italian reader to know of.
When I read Umberto Eco, I cannot bow down in awe to this man's erudition. I can say that it is a pleasure to enjoy his stories navigating through extremely diverse topics: the internet, racism, education, politics, philosophy, books.
This collection of essays reminded me of "Life Without Fear" - a collection of essays in various fields by Bertrand Russell. He spoke so hungrily about himself and his principles and views that I lost my appetite to read them all the way through. I stopped somewhere in the middle.
In "Chronicle...." we're also dealing with the views of an important literary figure. But Eco's way of putting it is much more pleasant, more amusing, more erudite (much more erudite than Russell). And he lacks Russell's narcissism. What else, it's an enjoyable read.
One star (or half a star) falls because too much space is devoted to Berlusconi. But for Italians and Italianophiles it's probably spicy.
April 29, 2025
Ироничен и умел в изобличаването на глупостта (а и на вулгарността), Умберто Еко говори по теми, които не отшумяват и днес. Блестящи есета от майстора на процеса на разсъждаване - с всички негови привкуси и оттенъци.
November 13, 2017
This book may have well been entitled “Millennials Need Not Apply.” Baby Boomers will find themselves here, but anyone who was not alive for the WWII or the Vietnam War need not bother. I think even my husband, a fervent Gen-Yer, who is constantly teasing me for just making it into the Millennial category, would be put off by quite a bit of this.
At first, I respected what he was saying–there was quite a bit of nostalgia for his childhood, and it made sense, the way he felt about the world. Fascism, remembering the bomb shelters, a general paranoia about how the world was starting to resemble those days. But then he really started digging into the Internet and how detrimental it was to society and it went from a slight paranoia to total lack of respect and absolute conspiracy.
In many of the essays, I would think “Okay, I know what this is going to be about, let’s see what Eco has to say.” But by the end, I would be thinking “Does he even know?” He completely loses the thread on his own thoughts. Plus, they are totally outdated. It’s a posthumous collection, so I kind of understand that. But I’m not really interested in reading about your hatred of the Internet when you’re ranting about Windows Vista.
Not to mention, the guy was just an asshole. There’s a story he tells–no, brags–where he is walking towards a girl with a cellphone, and just stops right in front of her so she runs into him and drops it. “I only hope her cell phone broke when it fell, and I advise anyone in a similar situation to do as I did.” I read a few more essays after this, but that was pretty much it for me. The next section was all about the conspiracy of 9/11, and well, no thanks.
At first, I respected what he was saying–there was quite a bit of nostalgia for his childhood, and it made sense, the way he felt about the world. Fascism, remembering the bomb shelters, a general paranoia about how the world was starting to resemble those days. But then he really started digging into the Internet and how detrimental it was to society and it went from a slight paranoia to total lack of respect and absolute conspiracy.
In many of the essays, I would think “Okay, I know what this is going to be about, let’s see what Eco has to say.” But by the end, I would be thinking “Does he even know?” He completely loses the thread on his own thoughts. Plus, they are totally outdated. It’s a posthumous collection, so I kind of understand that. But I’m not really interested in reading about your hatred of the Internet when you’re ranting about Windows Vista.
Not to mention, the guy was just an asshole. There’s a story he tells–no, brags–where he is walking towards a girl with a cellphone, and just stops right in front of her so she runs into him and drops it. “I only hope her cell phone broke when it fell, and I advise anyone in a similar situation to do as I did.” I read a few more essays after this, but that was pretty much it for me. The next section was all about the conspiracy of 9/11, and well, no thanks.
December 21, 2018
เล่มนี้เนื้อหาจริงจังกว่าเล่มวิธีเดินทางกับแซลมอน และดูจะมีแก่นแกนความสนใจไปที่เรื่องสังคมไหล ซึ่งก็ดีงามตามเนื้อผ้า ที่ชอบที่สุดคือน้ำเสียงของ Eco ยังคงจิกๆ หยอกๆ และยกระดับจิตใจ ❤
November 29, 2016
Il libro cartaceo scomparirà? Una domanda che molti si pongono e non sanno dare una risposta. Altri, invece, sono certi che non scomparirà. Altri, ancora, ritengono che a scomparire sarà il libro digitale o elettronico che sia.
Uno di questi ultimi a pensare così è scomparso di recente. Mi riferisco a Umberto Eco. Qui di seguito troverete cosa scrisse in una delle sue famose "bustine di Minerva".
Ho riletto questa sua "epocale", si fa per dire, intuizione, sia detto senza ironia. Lo studioso Umberto Eco resta una importante figura della cultura italiana del ventesimo secolo, ma non di questo terzo millennio, a mio modesto parere.
La storia dirà cosa rimarrà di quello che ha detto e scritto Umberto Eco. Ho ricevuto da Amazon il suo ultimo libro pubblicato dalla nuova casa editrice "La nave di Teseo" e ho riletto in digitale le sue considerazioni pubblicate nel corso del tempo. Eco ha scritto:
"I libri da leggere non potranno essere sostituiti da alcun aggeggio elettronico. Sono fatti per essere presi in mano, anche a letto, anche in banca, anche là dove non ci sono spine elettriche, anche dove e quando qualsiasi batteria si è scaricata, possono essere sottolineati, sopportano orecchie e segnalibri, possono essere lasciati cadere per terra o abbandonati aperti sul petto o sulle ginocchia quando ci prende il sonno, stanno in tasca, si sciupano, ci ricordano che non li abbiamo ancora letti, si leggono tenendo la testa come vogliamo noi, senza imporci la lettura fissa e tesa dello schermo di un computer, amichevolissimo in tutto salvo che per la cervicale. Il libro da leggere appartiene a quei miracoli di una tecnologia eterna di cui fan parte la ruota, il coltello, il cucchiaio, il martello, la pentola, la bicicletta".
Non è possibile risalire alla data precisa quando il grande semiologo ha scritto questa "bustina". Di certo l'avrà scritta più di una decina di anni or sono, quando non era ancora successo tutto quanto è accaduto, non solo nel campo dell'editoria, ma anche in quello più ampio ed allargato della Comunicazione, con la maiuscola.
Io, nel mio piccolo, imparai a conoscerla e studiarla verso la metà degli anni ottanta del secolo e del millennio trascorsi. In una delle tante "Summer School" che ho avuto la fortuna ed il piacere di frequentare d'estate in Inghilterra, all'università di Loughborough, che allora si chiamava "Loughborough University of Technology". Da quelle parti appresi per la prima volta il termine IT, vale a dire "Information Technology".
Le Tecnologie dell'Informazione e della Comunicazione, in acronimo TIC (in inglese "Information and Communications Technology", in acronimo ICT), sono l'insieme dei metodi e delle tecnologie che realizzano i sistemi di trasmissione, ricezione ed elaborazione di informazioni, tecnologie digitali comprese.
Se Eco fosse stato più prudente e meno accademico, come lui era, avrebbe potuto prevedere quello che in questo importante, variegato e complesso settore della conoscenza umana, sono sicuro non avrebbe scritto quello che avete letto. C'è chi porta avanti queste sue parole e le usa per provare e dimostrare a chi chiaramente non è informato in maniera corretta e documentata quanto lo studioso bolognese, con grande leggerezza, ha lasciato dietro di sé.
Non ci si rende conto che ormai viviamo sotto cieli digitali e che i cieli cartacei fanno parte del passato. Non voglio tediare chi legge con approfondimenti tecnici per dimostrare quanto sia sbagliato credere che il libro cartaceo sia destinato a scomparire, alla stessa maniera di quanto sia altrettanto errato scrivere che il libro digitale prenderà il sopravvento.
Ho già avuto modo di scrivere, anche su questo blog, che i due tipi di "libri" sono destinati a procedere insieme, in parallelo. Il libro cartaceo sopravviverà assumendo forme diverse. Libri molto economici e libri di grande lusso e pregio. I primi sono quelli da leggere in spiaggia, in metropolitana o in ambienti dove magari non si vuole portare con sé un iPad. Volumi con pagine che si possono sottolineare o piegare.
I secondi, invece, sono oggetti preziosi, da custodire con cura. Il libro cartaceo comune in molti casi è già scomparso e si può consultare via web. Ad esempio, se fino a qualche anno fa nello studio di un avvocato gli scaffali erano pieni di pubblicazioni che riportavano tutte le leggi, oggi ci sono database con tutte le informazioni a portata di mano. Analogamente, le enciclopedie non hanno più molta ragion d’essere: su internet si possono trovare tutti i contenuti possibili, senza dover prendere dallo scaffale un volume pesante da portare sulla scrivania.
Qualcuno sarà pronto a dire che questo non è un fatto positivo. Io, da figlio di tipografo-stampatore post gutenbeghiano, mi sento di affermare che l'evoluzione è inevitabile: la storia prosegue e, come il libro a stampa ha sostituito il manoscritto, così l’e-book subentrerà a quello cartaceo.
Personalmente, preferisco l’e-book, perchè posso leggerlo con meno fatica, potendo ingrandire i caratteri. Occorre però distinguere tra il libro elettronico che riproduce sul monitor pagine stampate, che si leggono dall’inizio alla fine, e l’informazione elettronica che adopera l’ipertesto, con continui rinvii ad altre informazioni.
Questo cambia il nostro modo di fruire la cultura: l’aspetto positivo è che attraverso i link, i collegamenti interni ed esterni, in audio e video, possiamo acquisire ulteriori informazioni su un elemento di nostro interesse, in modo concatenato e degerarchizzato, mentre quello negativo è che possono comparire informazioni non richieste, diverse da quelle che si cercano.
Come sempre è un fenomeno che bisogna governare senza diventare schiavi del mezzo. I vantaggi della comunicazione digitale sono non solo impareggiabili ma inarrestabili. Il meglio, non il peggio, a mio parere, deve ancora arrivare. Umberto Eco, pur essendo un vero genio della parola, è rimasto un accademico. Con tutti i suoi limiti e i suoi pregi. https://goo.gl/A9NnNv
Uno di questi ultimi a pensare così è scomparso di recente. Mi riferisco a Umberto Eco. Qui di seguito troverete cosa scrisse in una delle sue famose "bustine di Minerva".
Ho riletto questa sua "epocale", si fa per dire, intuizione, sia detto senza ironia. Lo studioso Umberto Eco resta una importante figura della cultura italiana del ventesimo secolo, ma non di questo terzo millennio, a mio modesto parere.
La storia dirà cosa rimarrà di quello che ha detto e scritto Umberto Eco. Ho ricevuto da Amazon il suo ultimo libro pubblicato dalla nuova casa editrice "La nave di Teseo" e ho riletto in digitale le sue considerazioni pubblicate nel corso del tempo. Eco ha scritto:
"I libri da leggere non potranno essere sostituiti da alcun aggeggio elettronico. Sono fatti per essere presi in mano, anche a letto, anche in banca, anche là dove non ci sono spine elettriche, anche dove e quando qualsiasi batteria si è scaricata, possono essere sottolineati, sopportano orecchie e segnalibri, possono essere lasciati cadere per terra o abbandonati aperti sul petto o sulle ginocchia quando ci prende il sonno, stanno in tasca, si sciupano, ci ricordano che non li abbiamo ancora letti, si leggono tenendo la testa come vogliamo noi, senza imporci la lettura fissa e tesa dello schermo di un computer, amichevolissimo in tutto salvo che per la cervicale. Il libro da leggere appartiene a quei miracoli di una tecnologia eterna di cui fan parte la ruota, il coltello, il cucchiaio, il martello, la pentola, la bicicletta".
Non è possibile risalire alla data precisa quando il grande semiologo ha scritto questa "bustina". Di certo l'avrà scritta più di una decina di anni or sono, quando non era ancora successo tutto quanto è accaduto, non solo nel campo dell'editoria, ma anche in quello più ampio ed allargato della Comunicazione, con la maiuscola.
Io, nel mio piccolo, imparai a conoscerla e studiarla verso la metà degli anni ottanta del secolo e del millennio trascorsi. In una delle tante "Summer School" che ho avuto la fortuna ed il piacere di frequentare d'estate in Inghilterra, all'università di Loughborough, che allora si chiamava "Loughborough University of Technology". Da quelle parti appresi per la prima volta il termine IT, vale a dire "Information Technology".
Le Tecnologie dell'Informazione e della Comunicazione, in acronimo TIC (in inglese "Information and Communications Technology", in acronimo ICT), sono l'insieme dei metodi e delle tecnologie che realizzano i sistemi di trasmissione, ricezione ed elaborazione di informazioni, tecnologie digitali comprese.
Se Eco fosse stato più prudente e meno accademico, come lui era, avrebbe potuto prevedere quello che in questo importante, variegato e complesso settore della conoscenza umana, sono sicuro non avrebbe scritto quello che avete letto. C'è chi porta avanti queste sue parole e le usa per provare e dimostrare a chi chiaramente non è informato in maniera corretta e documentata quanto lo studioso bolognese, con grande leggerezza, ha lasciato dietro di sé.
Non ci si rende conto che ormai viviamo sotto cieli digitali e che i cieli cartacei fanno parte del passato. Non voglio tediare chi legge con approfondimenti tecnici per dimostrare quanto sia sbagliato credere che il libro cartaceo sia destinato a scomparire, alla stessa maniera di quanto sia altrettanto errato scrivere che il libro digitale prenderà il sopravvento.
Ho già avuto modo di scrivere, anche su questo blog, che i due tipi di "libri" sono destinati a procedere insieme, in parallelo. Il libro cartaceo sopravviverà assumendo forme diverse. Libri molto economici e libri di grande lusso e pregio. I primi sono quelli da leggere in spiaggia, in metropolitana o in ambienti dove magari non si vuole portare con sé un iPad. Volumi con pagine che si possono sottolineare o piegare.
I secondi, invece, sono oggetti preziosi, da custodire con cura. Il libro cartaceo comune in molti casi è già scomparso e si può consultare via web. Ad esempio, se fino a qualche anno fa nello studio di un avvocato gli scaffali erano pieni di pubblicazioni che riportavano tutte le leggi, oggi ci sono database con tutte le informazioni a portata di mano. Analogamente, le enciclopedie non hanno più molta ragion d’essere: su internet si possono trovare tutti i contenuti possibili, senza dover prendere dallo scaffale un volume pesante da portare sulla scrivania.
Qualcuno sarà pronto a dire che questo non è un fatto positivo. Io, da figlio di tipografo-stampatore post gutenbeghiano, mi sento di affermare che l'evoluzione è inevitabile: la storia prosegue e, come il libro a stampa ha sostituito il manoscritto, così l’e-book subentrerà a quello cartaceo.
Personalmente, preferisco l’e-book, perchè posso leggerlo con meno fatica, potendo ingrandire i caratteri. Occorre però distinguere tra il libro elettronico che riproduce sul monitor pagine stampate, che si leggono dall’inizio alla fine, e l’informazione elettronica che adopera l’ipertesto, con continui rinvii ad altre informazioni.
Questo cambia il nostro modo di fruire la cultura: l’aspetto positivo è che attraverso i link, i collegamenti interni ed esterni, in audio e video, possiamo acquisire ulteriori informazioni su un elemento di nostro interesse, in modo concatenato e degerarchizzato, mentre quello negativo è che possono comparire informazioni non richieste, diverse da quelle che si cercano.
Come sempre è un fenomeno che bisogna governare senza diventare schiavi del mezzo. I vantaggi della comunicazione digitale sono non solo impareggiabili ma inarrestabili. Il meglio, non il peggio, a mio parere, deve ancora arrivare. Umberto Eco, pur essendo un vero genio della parola, è rimasto un accademico. Con tutti i suoi limiti e i suoi pregi. https://goo.gl/A9NnNv
December 13, 2020
на жаль, 80% тих колонок, які є у збірці мають два недоліки:
1) вони безнадійно застарілі, бо пан Умберто пише про реалії життя, які вже мало кому відомі;
2) вони безнадійно італійські, бо стосуються другорядних італійських політичних/соціальних проблем, адже навіть про Берлусконі зараз мало хто пам'ятає (хоч про нього і зняв кіно Соррентіно).
інші 20% - дотепні й прекрасні думки, які для постійних читачів Еко вже давним давно відомі (зокрема, з попередньої збірки "Картонки Мінерви").
1) вони безнадійно застарілі, бо пан Умберто пише про реалії життя, які вже мало кому відомі;
2) вони безнадійно італійські, бо стосуються другорядних італійських політичних/соціальних проблем, адже навіть про Берлусконі зараз мало хто пам'ятає (хоч про нього і зняв кіно Соррентіно).
інші 20% - дотепні й прекрасні думки, які для постійних читачів Еко вже давним давно відомі (зокрема, з попередньої збірки "Картонки Мінерви").
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