I am Italian from a nearby place to Veneto: can confirm that there is an obnoxious cultural protectionism that’s appalling. In general people are very friendly and kind, but so close minded… I only grew out of it (I think?) once I moved abroad. It’s bittersweet, because it’s nice to be proud of being part of a community, but at the same time there is much emptiness in thinking of oneselves as something special just for what’s on the passport.

I would say the centuries of fragmentation of the Italian peninsula actually bolstered the nationalist spirit more than in countries with a long history as a unified nation (England, France, Spain…) and much literature taught at school treats this topic.

But yeah history doesn’t teach shit, it looks like…

Interesting! Would be nice to have the death rate and not only the absolute values.

Ok, thanks for the insight! Don’t really know much about Radio Free Europe, but I agree with you.

Why?