Rispetto. La dignità umana in un mondo di diseguali

by Richard Sennett

La società attuale manca di espressioni efficaci di riconoscimento e valorizzazione delle persone. Nonostante leggi e regole, di fatto siamo tutti esseri spersonalizzati, schegge di un mondo frammentato che isola, suscita sentimenti di impotenza, ci fa sentire tutti egualmente inadeguati. Attingendo anche al proprio percorso individuale di ragazzo cresciuto a Chicago in una casa d'accoglienza, Sennett affronta il tema della deprivazione e del riscatto, della diseguaglianza e delle varie istituzioni preposte al Welfare, e mostra come solo il rispetto sia in grado di restituire a ciascuno un'identità accettabile. Pur prendendo atto che le persone non sono uguali, che talune hanno più talento di altre, che talune sono più dipendenti e meritevoli di compassione, il vero rispetto - quello suscettibile di riverberarsi nella vita collettiva - consiste nell'incoraggiare ciascuno a dare il meglio di sé secondo e capacità.

Genres: Sociology, Politics, Nonfiction, Society, Philosophy, Education, Memoir

Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Richard Sennett has explored how individuals and groups make social and cultural sense of material facts -- about the cities in which they live and about the labour they do. He focuses on how people can become competent interpreters of their own experience, despite the obstacles society may put in their way. His research entails ethnography, history, and social theory. As a social analyst, Mr. Sennett continues the pragmatist tradition begun by William James and John Dewey.

His first book, The Uses of Disorder, [1970] looked at how personal identity takes form in the modern city. He then studied how working-class identities are shaped in modern society, in The Hidden Injuries of Class, written with Jonathan Cobb. [1972] A study of the public realm of cities, The Fall of Public Man, appeared in 1977; at the end of this decade of writing, Mr. Sennett sought to account the philosophic implications of this work in Authority [1980].

At this point he took a break from sociology, composing three novels: The Frog who Dared to Croak [1982], An Evening of Brahms [1984] and Palais Royal [1987]. He then returned to urban studies with two books, The Conscience of the Eye, [1990], a work focusing on urban design, and Flesh and Stone [1992], a general historical study of how bodily experience has been shaped by the evolution of cities.

In the mid 1990s, as the work-world of modern capitalism began to alter quickly and radically, Mr. Sennett began a project charting its personal consequences for workers, a project which has carried him up to the present day. The first of these studies, The Corrosion of Character, [1998] is an ethnographic account of how middle-level employees make sense of the “new economy.” The second in the series, Respect in a World of Inequality, [2002} charts the effects of new ways of working on the welfare state; a third, The Culture of the New Capitalism, [2006] provides an over-view of change. Most recently, Mr. Sennett has explored more positive aspects of labor in The Craftsman [2008], and in Together: The Rituals, Pleasures and Politics of Cooperation [2012].

Reviews

[Robert Wechsler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like everything Richard Sennett has written, this book has a great deal of food for thought. Sennett's argument is too complex to easily summarize, but essentially he shows us the importance of the idea that autonomy is “accepting in others what one does not understand about them ... in so doing, you are treating the fact of their autonomy as equal to your own.”

There is a lot in this book about self-respect and mutual respect, but for Sennett the bottom line is the practice of respect by the strong toward those “destined to remain weak.” This is a very important book; if widely read, it might shift the argument about inequality toward something more human than income (note the book’s publication date).

[Martin Dubéci · Rating 2 out of 5]

nejako sme sa nepochopili s formátom.

[Mary Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worth a read

[Bernard Leckning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Respect is something that we ought to grant everyone, but how to we achieve it between particular persons? Sennett takes us through the messy and often contradictory nature of achieving mutual respect. What Sennett highlights as the most serious obstacle to mutual respect is conditions of inequality. No matter what our attempts involve, horizontal and reciprocal respect is invariably made more fragile by the vertical and hierarchical relations of social inequality. Sennett again deploys his concept of character to analyse the burdens of trying to achieve respect in a world that seemingly militates against such efforts.

[Susan rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

a really moving, part memior part non-fiction, questioning of the roots of respect and inequality in our society and in ourselves.

[Stefan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on the personal experience of ex-musician, coming from projects, and landing in academia it's quite an engaging take on respect, autonomy, etc. Nothing breathtaking, but very well outlined point of view. Will need to read some Scruton now for balance. However, weirdly, Sennett still brushes with bleakness (despite this take on workmen in corporate environmenta, as well as 'clients' of social support system, is a bit more optimistict than in his 'The corruption of character'). Checking out latest Sennett's books (craftsman, performer, which I'm definitely adding to reading list), I think there is a slight bias in his works, which for a coder in me runs way too close to my own biases.
Otherwise, it's a thoughts organising, engaging, and valuable read. One to come back to every few years too I'd say (I regret not discovering Sennett much earlier).

[Richard · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was really packed, and unfortunately not very clear and organized about what the author wanted to say in the end. Lots of interesting ideas, like how people should have a hand in their own welfare, how rituals can establish a society with clearly defined lines of inequality, and how the flexible version of modern society has made it more difficult to connect with others and has not helped with stability. Inequality cannot be eliminated, and it might a balance between dependence and independence, between compassion and intrusion, between self-respect and communal acceptance, that would help. Maybe I could understand a little bit more with some background on the kinds of issues the author addresses.

[Jens Kreet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ein sehr weises Statement zur Zukunft der Sozialhilfe, das von ihrer Entstehung über die sozialen, historischen, politischen und ökonomischen Rahmenbedingungen bis hin zur Philosophie dahinter wirklich viele Perspektiven beleuchtet und mich als jemand, der im System arbeitet, sehr weitergebracht hat. Der Stern Punktabzug ist für die Soziologenkrankheit, zu viele Fremdwörter und Substantive zu verwenden. Im Vergleich zu einem Fachtext liest sich das Buch wirklich sehr flüssig und ansprechend, aber es soll ja schließlich die gesamte Gesellschaft angesprochen werden.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Abandoned on page 29 of 263. Two stars as I can see it is not an awful book just not for me.

[Hans]

Julia Friedrichs: „Working Class“ ➡️

[Else Marie Jakobsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Der var dele af denne her bog, som jeg ikke forstod. Hvad var meningen med forfatterens personlige historie om en gryende cellist-karriere, der fik en brat afslutning med en håndskade. Og hvad var det med de "glas-krige"? Var der respekt før glaskrigene, eller var krigene bare det der gjorde den manglende respekt tydelig?

Og er det muligt at vise respekt i en verden af ulighed? og hvordan gør man, hvad forudsætter det? Jeg er ikke sikker på at jeg er nærmere et svar efter at have læst denne bog.

Jo måske har én ting bidt sig fast. Respekt handler om at acceptere at den anden er forskellig fra en selv. At der er noget i den anden som man ikke forstår, men ikke skal lave om.
Så selv om man giver, er det mangel på respekt, hvis man forventer at den anden laver sig om. Kan man forestille sig et velfærdssamfund der giver uden at kræve noget til gengæld. Der er vel også forskel på at kræve en modydelse som fx et stykke arbejde og så at kræve et stykke af modtagerens sjæl.

Forudsætter sociale relationer ulighed? Hvis alle udvekslinger afregnes nøjagtigt er der ingen der skylder hinanden noget. Ingen har noget på hinanden, alle er kvit. Tag eksemplet fra bogen med middagen, hvor alle giver sig til at regne ud eksakt hvor meget hver især skal betale. Her ryger den venskabelige relation. Hvis derimod alle giver lidt ekstra, så kan den der ikke har så meget, give lidt mindre. Det beviser og bekræfter venskabet. Der etableres en ulighed, som gør den venskabelige transaktion mulig.

Lige det eksempel volder mig vanskeligheder. Jeg kan godt godtage, at et venskab baserer sig på ulighed og et væld af transaktioner mellem vennerne, der gives og tages i et væk og herigennem udvikles venskabet. Men hvis jeg betaler mere for middagen, indfører jeg da ikke en ulighed i venskabet, som ikke er nødvendig? Hvorfor skulle jeg det, hvis ikke det er for at demonstrere overlegenhed? Og det er da ikke respekt.

Nej jeg giver op. Det med respekt er i hvert fald en speget og indviklet affære.

[Santiagolloret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have to interpret my rating in the context of the sociology genre... Otherwise it would be a 2!

[University of Chicago Magazine]

Richard Sennett, AB'64
Author

[!Tæmbuŝu]

KOBOBOOKS

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not bad, I suppose. Interesting viewpoint.

[Sabine Maennel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

[Andreia Barbas]

good

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

From my 2006 book diary:

Richard Sennet takes up an issue much in the media these days - the issue of respect in the public space.

He draws on both professional research and private recollection and manages to mix the two to make a convincing review of change in Western society, amongst it: the fall of inherited privilege and concurrent rise of meritocracy, from the days of Samuel Pepys to current times.