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# 81 JULY 18 , 2016
le. However, we thought it can work
anyways, as the Italics, I mean the font,
has a personality, a character that the
Gothic or any other style do not have.
The cursive is light, rounded, and it has
a good-looking sense that reminds us of
our values, the ones of the Italics, I mean.
Recently, you stated that the ‘Italian
sounding’, the phenomenon of imitating Italian products, stating they come
from Italy is not being recognized as a
problem, but, rather, as an advantage,
an opportunity. What do you exactly
mean?
It is a mere marketing strategy. If, for
example, we have 10,000 Parmesans
wheels, it will be much easier to then sell
2,000 Parmigiano Reggiano versions: if
the market is bigger, it will be easier to
affirm the quality of the product. However, in order to do so, we need to avoid
frauds, which is not only a matter of the
“Made in Italy”. If, in fact, this was the case,
“Barilla” would not be Italian, as most of 300 million people.” Therefore, consider
the wheat used for the pasta is not even “Italian” (or, better, Italic) all the things
Italian.
recalling a sense of italianness helps
the country and, of course, its image.
In a speech, the President Mattarella stated: “With an effective expression, Pie- This phenomenon of proposing non-Itaro Bassetti has recently defined the way lian products as such is not a problem,
we live and the way we are - along with but, rather, an opportunity. However, this
the will to take advantage of our (good) trend should be controlled, and no frauproducts - as the aspiration to become dulent symbols should be used. For this
“italics”, basically people affected by reason, we introduce a new category: inthe “Italian sounding”. A great number stead of the “Made in Italy”, the “Made
in the world – much more than the few by Italics”, because the pizza is not only
natives – which is thought to reach the made by Italians; in Milan, for instance, it
# 81 juLY 18 , 2016
is mostly made by Egyptians or Turkish.
Latin America we had Italians who joined
Bolivar’s board, and also other Italians
If we can convince people that while among the Founding Fathers of the Unithey are eating cheese (either Parmigia- ted States of America.
no Reggiano or Parmesan) this belongs
to the Italic world, then we can also state I also think at the “italicità” in the States
that 300 million people are eating Italic now. Look at people like Cuomo or De
cheese, cheese at the Italian way.
Blasio… when I studied at Cornell University in 1951, it was not like this: many
Then Charles Caleb Colton’s statement Italians from Italy did not even know
“Imitation is the sincerest form of flat- where Milan, Rome or the Vatican were.
tery” is true…
Today is not like this. Apart from being
in the most important decisional mechaNo doubt. Those who are contrary to nisms of the States, here there is the hiimitation are those who make the origi- ghest demand of “italicità”, no comparinal, and of course the same who get the son.
highest revenue from their brand. However, on the structural, political, and quan- I always mention Francis Ford Coppola’s
titative level imitation represents the interview for the RAI, the Italian public tehighest supporter. I usually look at the levision. Someone asked him: “when you
concept of Commonwealth as a sour- do your movies, do you think that to be
ce of inspiration, an idea the Americans Italian is a merit or not?” and he replied:
know very well.
“yes, my last name is Coppola, my father
was Italian and he transferred onto me
The relationship between the States and the sensitivity of the film-maker; howeItaly is very strong. Since you studied ver I do my movies because my mother
and you have family in the US, what do was from New York, and she taught me
you think of this relationship?
about Hollywood. Basically, I count for
two.” This idea is gradually being acIf you refer to the old international ap- cepted in the States: we are something
proach, the relationship is good, very that is being added, assimilated. Amerigood: because of the presence of many ca can, among all, seek power, and it is
Italians, and hence of italiannes. The Sta- for this reason that it is hungry of beauty:
tes share many cultural and historical ours.
things with Italy, many.
Some of your books were translated and
There are many historical data which not are now available also in the States, what
only refer to the Italian emigration, but are they?
also to a previous history; for instance, in
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WE THE ITALIANS | 13
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www.wetheitalians.com