Italy's Deep Contradiction

The most common mockery of Italians is that of an unreflective, undiplomatic mobster. Of course, this is only a stereotype. But it’s one that Italians should find bothersome, unjust and degrading. Undoubtedly most Italians are not even close to that unfortunate model, but strikingly they have elected president for the third time somebody who fits that stereotype quite well.

Of the three appellatives used above to describe the stereotype the only one for which there might be a glimpse of a doubt that applies to Berlusconi is “mobster.” I say this only because officially he is supposed not to be one, but pretty much everybody (supporters and detractors) knows that he has bypassed the law more than once in his life. Recall that he was indicted on corruption charges the last time in office. Those who follow soccer will remember also that the team he owns, AC Milan, was penalized recently for fixing games by bribing umpires. The reason why these issues haven’t settled in the Italian public opinion most likely has to do with his dominance of Italian mass media, which takes us to the second appellative used to describe the stereotype: “unreflective.”

That he is unreflective is hard to contest, for he is unable to see the conflict of interest that his ownership of Italian media raises in relation to his presidency. How can he possibly deem a doubtlessly unfair victory like his furthering of Italy’s prosperity? Granted that he probably is not the brightest person on the face of the Earth, this doesn’t fully explain his total incapacity to put Italy’s interest before his. Unreflectiveness is thus called for to explain his undaunted remorselessness.

As for “undiplomatic,” we have an embarrassment of riches. Of all his gaffes, I will just remind you of the occasion when, after a summit, he suggested that he had seduced Finish female president, Tarja Halonen, to get her to agree to some political deal. In an official event before the world's press, he joked that he had had to “dust off his playboy skills” with President Halonen. Upon recognition that he had made a mistake he tried to fix it by remarking on her ugliness. He said that anyone who has seen a picture of her must know that he was joking. Talking about good diplomacy…