Demographics in Italy, sermons are useless: any opinion is broken into the single will
Self a journalist rational and well-informed writes that, for the good of the nation, the government should do such a thing, normally speaking to the wind. There is only one chance in who knows how many hundreds of thousands that his point of view will be taken seriously.
If – vice versa – the columnists of all the major newspapers recommending the same thing to the government, ministers are likely to wonder if they should not think seriously about that opinion. Not because they respect the judgment, but because they could represent the opinion of the people. And the people, in a democracy, are the ones who rule.
Regarding the good of the community the expression of an opinion it has little chance of having an effect when it comes from a small group of important people and addresses a high group of important people. Provided they have the power to do something. In the remaining cases to say: “It would be good for the United States to do this”, “It would be good for the UN to approve this resolution”, “It would be good for Europe to adopt a unitary foreign policy” is completely useless. It would be like saying: “It would be nice if all the engines could be powered by rainwater”.
And yet there is a case in which not even the association of all the most important fora can do anything: when it is addressed to an individual. If all the governments of the world prayed to Mr. Gennaro Menichiello da Caserta, a well-known alcoholic, to stop drinking, it is not certain that they would get it. Better not count on it. When we decide for others we listen to advice, the principles of morality, economics or law; when we decide for ourselves we only listen to our feelings, our interest or even, stolidly, our prejudices. The doctor tells the obese that he must lose weight; that obesity is the cause of many diseases and – even – that the obese rarely manages to reach extreme old age. He gets nothing. Those who love to eat more than the right will eat more than the right even to the point of killing themselves.
It is for considerations of this kind that can be listened to with indifference alarmed forecasts about the demographic curve of Italy. True, Italians are dramatically decreasing in number; it is true, we have a lot of old people and a few boys to pay their pension one day; it is true, if we have fewer and fewer children and do not curb immigration, Italy will soon be a half-breed country, with who knows what racial problems. But all these observations and other similar ones are useless, if they are addressed to the couple who, in their home and under the sheets, ask themselves if they should have a child. Rest assured that the decision will depend on what the two think is appropriate “for them”, Not for the country or for the world.
(continues)
#Population #growth #achieved #law