The consequential, revolutionary changes that have marked the history of mankind from the beginning of modern age until the third millennium, over about five centuries, have always arisen slowly, almost unnoticed from contemporaries. They have then driven authentic revolutions that have radically changed society and its structure, politics and the institutions that represent it, economy and its development models, collective costumes and moral, individuals’ and communities’ living conditions, the shared vision of the world, and the faith of humanity.
From the revolution of print to combustion engines, from the first to the second industrial revolutions, from carbon to gas to nuclear energy, from the digital to information technology, changes have always been more and more rapid, more and more determinant.
However, the economic and financial crises of the first twenty years of the new millennium, now become devastating due to the current pandemic, which does not seem to be containable in the short term, have put an end to a limitless, unregulated development based on the relentless exploitation of natural resources, the irresponsible consumption of the land, and the criminal pollution of the Earth, the seas, and the atmosphere.
Rulers find it hard to gain awareness of the fact that in a century, the very survival of mankind will be at stake. Because of this, international and national decisions seem totally unsuitable to bring on the trend reversals that might keep the dangers on the horizon at bay.
On the contrary, they need well-timed, radical, irreversible choices, inspired by the philosophy of sustainability and steered by green economy.
To prevent our self-destruction, we need to face the most challenging radical change of human history, which will revolutionize the nature of the world we live in with solutions that now are not fully predictable, but surely perceivable, starting from our lifestyle and the values we draw inspiration from.
A new individual and collective lifestyle, with little or no polluting impact on the environment and that puts human bonds, the use of time, the quality of life, nutrition, mobility, relationships with others, and mostly culture first.
In brief, a new moral, the “moral of sustainability”, which will have to influence and revolutionize, among others, the worlds of finance, manufacturing, commerce, services, and communication. And politics, too!
In our own small way, we have started to adopt “the philosophy and moral of sustainability” as the main essential standard in our editorial business, with the forthcoming publication of our green magazine.
We intend to promote all initiatives we learn about that are able to combine environment, culture, and business to support sustainability.
Like the meaningful symposium to be held in Sorrento on October 24, on the 25th anniversary of a national cultural institution like the “Penisola Sorrentina” award, which will announce the “Carta di Sorrento” (the Sorrento charter) on sustainable tourism, the tourism of the future.
Luigi Lauro
