i wondered why the Italians

do not grow spiteful of Mr. Berlusconi, He is twisting the law, making fun of the justice, stealing public money, I wondered for long where the public opinoin went. no sign of spite, no sign of worrie

Then i found the reason, spite is an emotion for rich people. either rich in means or rich in hopes, expectations and forecasts,and italians are not, in neither of the four alternatives.

wealthy, healthy and (un)happy?

i just had lunch. i happen to be a guest in the house of someone i know, on my way back home.

unsurprisingly it is not the lunch per se that is noticeable, but that i had it on a huge, totally decorated table served by not one, but two maids. they called me, waited for me to seat, poured wine, brought the main course, discretely took the plate away, brought coffee and strawberries.

i was totally alone. half comic, half disturbing, i was actually facing the nothing and entertaining pleasant conversation with the curtains and the heavy silver cultery. i wondered whether money can buy happiness. i think so, in the sense that if you are not a totally sociopathic person you will have at least one ot two friends, a dog, and some interests, independently of your daily allowance. money just make things easier and nicer. do not get me wrong, indeed i am totally fine with the lunch. i do not feel worried or guilty for the maids, i could hear them laughing in the kitchen. and in any case, i am just a guest.

can money buy happiness? the question is just so ill-posed. as long as you behave, you will be self content. as long as you have money, use it: you cannot carry it with you forever. now, i do believe the problem of poverty is an uncovered bruise. of course i would love to fight poverty. but honestly, my hosts are not as rich as to fall in the richest peak in the world distribution. and moreover, is it really fair to dismiss one’s earned life-standard just to temporarily soothe someone’s poverty? can we still buy Mill s point that poverty is context-dependent? do donations and charity work even if they are not motivated by altruisitic considerations?

it would be foolish not to admit that only targeted and well-thought plans can fight long-run poverty. one-shot donations, thoughts, are OK regardless of the underlying motivation: food tastes the same, right? it would be foolish as well, though, to point an inquisitive finger against the wealthy people: maybe they could do more, but i cant see any formal and compelling reason why they should do more.

in any case, as long as i can freeride it, praised by luxury, and hurray for the expensive futilities.