Beppe Severgnini Beppe Severgnini, Corriere della Sera's brilliant columnist and the winner of last year's European Voice Journalist of the Year award, wrote an interesting article for EV this week. It's called The rise of Italy's E-generation. In it he says that Italians no longer have a collective dream but have turned into individual dreamers.

Here are a few juicy snippets.

Something odd happens to journalists and not just in Italy. When they are young and have lots to say, they have nowhere to say it. Then when they know where - newspapers, television, talks - they have nothing left to say.

Travelling has another advantage. You learn to see your country from a distance.

National mood is a serious matter...what does a nation's mood depend on? I'd say on the ability to feel part of a history that is going forward. Without this narrative, a community does not live, it survives. It might have a good time, and spend lavishly to conceal its uncertainties and disappointments...

Today, young Italians dream individually and their dream is often European. The euro, email, Erasmus, Easyjet and the English language are the five crucial Es that have changed many people's lives. My fellow countrymen and women from the E-generation...have grasped the "good fortune of living now in this age adrift", to quote a fine song by Ivano Fossati. We adult Italians struggle to understand.

Just back from The Beangrowers' gig in Gent. Poster on wall already. More on that tomorrow.

Il-lejl it-tajjeb  ¶ 4:09 PM