Photo: compacteur
Unplug your wireless connection before diving in “Conformisti – the death of authenticity” by Gillo Dorfles.
Dorfles, born in Triest in 1910, is a true modern man and deserves full attention. And is writing is so enjoyable!
He explores, in this book dated 1997, the universe of conformismo, perbenismo, buon senso, senso comune (not the same as common sense), benpensanti, come il faut, yes-men.
In order to do this he analyzes society: behavior, approach to the arts (fantastic chapter on classical music!), fashion, politics, sex of course – and yes, even death – with a pragmatic angle. Like Isherwood, he could claim “I am a camera”.
13 years after its publication, this book’s authenticity is even higher.
In this recent video, taken form RAIperunanotte, he observes how facts have become “facts-oids”, democracy morphed into “democracy-oid” (or maybe post-democracy, quoting Colin Crouch).
Dorfles repeats his mantra: keep on comparing and contrasting what is told to you with the real facts if you want to seize the developments of society while keeping your head high above the tide of conformism. And beware of the “conformizzatori”, sometimes dressed as agents provocateurs or enfants terribles, but eventually acting as powerful compacteurs of the public opinion.
0 Responses to “Gillo Dorfles and the quest for authenticity”