A bath of reality

First, millions of euros flowed through (all with greater debt!). They saved our lives by locking down the hospitals. Doctors and nurses offered a historical image of their passion and humanity. Of course there were no masks and too many were bought, even non-regular ones, which are now mouldering in the basements of schools and warehouses. It was wasted, but let's not forget the fear of the time when there were those who went around with painters' masks recovered from the workshops.

Now it's over or almost over and the return to reality is a bloodbath (or rather reality).

Europe wants to return to iron debt control. Gentiloni and Von der Leyen play their games, which are difficult for us poor people to understand; the government cannot find the money for the necessary interventions in healthcare, despite a pandemic; the war in Ukraine and speculation have caused all prices to explode; the minimum wage does not yet exist and the citizen's income, despite all the abuses caused by crime, no longer exists. There is an Italy that struggles to do the shopping. It goes to discount stores but that's not enough.

– The great Covid bubble has perhaps dissolved (variations permitting), there remain bills to pay and financing to be found. The word "cuts" returns forcefully and it's a bad signal.

– In Brandizzo there are flowers, only those, which mark the passage between us of five lives burned by haste and the desire for profit.

– The mess of the superbonus leaves 100 million more in public debt on the ground and has certainly favored the rebirth but paying in addition to normal people, above all the rich who have rebuilt villas and castles. Compliments!

– The truce in bills is over and energy increases are approaching double digits with all due respect (i.e. new poverty) of the middle class, the most populous and the one which, with taxes, contributes to the maintenance of the State.

– The wheat battle is still beyond being won and, naturally, will lead not only to hunger in Africa, but also substantial increases in everyone's pockets;

– Inflation is still over 6%, but everything else is much higher and you only need to go shopping once to notice it.

– The blockade, fortunately avoided, of the Euro 5 made 350 thousand cars and their owners tremble in the name of a Europe of dreams.

– The suburbs from Caivano to Turin's Barriera di Milano scream their anger, but beyond words (too many!!) they have nothing. The squares and streets are empty and drug dealing, which is not a minor crime, is rampant, day and night.

– In Turin the former Gondrand in via Cigna remains a "toxic park" like Rogoredo near Milan, abandoned buildings in Bologna and Milan. I am a lesser-known but true face of Italy.

– And in the meantime – in addition to the thousands of small boats arriving from Libya and Tunisia and which must be welcomed with humanity and solidarity – new routes are being strengthened across the Balkans.

– The tax on banks, whether right or wrong, we will all pay. Let's pay attention to the “0s,” which are very often present in the bank account. All regular, but real.

All this while we are talking about cuts in schools, healthcare and transport. Finding a square to the circle will not be easy, but it will have to be done, despite the many fairy tales that are heard both on the right and on the left, unaware of the change in mentality that is making its way among the people. The time for fiction is over, reality is harder than expected and will be the basis of the world to come.

Gian Mario Ricciardi

NP Ottobre 2023