Corrente n.5 – Gentilə si diventa

GENTILƏ SI DIVENTA

Among lifestyles that discourage socialising, human relationships mediated by devices and technology, and phenomena such as gentrification and ghettoisation, contemporary cities seem to be a world away from the concept of community, understood as a group of people who share a social life, behaviours and interests. Yet it is precisely in this context that we see the emergence of experiences moving in the opposite direction: whether these are groups of people united by belonging to the same country of origin, or who share a passion for a literary or musical genre, or even who frequent the same urban spaces, it matters little. These experiences, whether spontaneous or driven by social and urban policies, demonstrate humanity’s inherent need to build social relationships.

Luca Lobuono (@lobuonoinside), an influencer from Bari, tests people’s social behaviour to show that “there is still good in this world” and that the instinct for social interaction is innate. Through a series of clips posted on Instagram and TikTok, he shows the reactions of those who witness a plea for help; sometimes the influencer pretends to be blind or terrified of an escalator, sometimes a victim of violence or, conversely, an aggressor, and observes the effect on people. In his videos there is a great deal of indifference, but there is always a happy ending. Kindness and empathy thus become a real antidote to isolation and individualism, an aspect inherent in humanity but one that needs to be nurtured.

Cristina Milani, Ambassador of kindness and founder of Gentletude, a charity dedicated to promoting kindness, emphasises that being kind responds to a universal instinct to reconnect with those around us and with the world through empathy and the sharing of emotions; not only that, it also brings benefits to the individual: it increases the production of serotonin, the ‘happiness hormone’, with positive effects on health; it facilitates social interaction, encourages sharing and increases mutual trust.

Cristina Milani invites us to make this attitude a habit in order to change the world, because kindness is contagious: responding thoughtfully to indifference and with kindness to rudeness creates a positive ripple effect, helping to foster social cohesion and a sense of community. Because we are born kind, but we also become kind.

Casematte

Inclusive living, shared responsibility, participatory approaches to support those with limited independence: these are some of the cornerstones of Casematte’s work to transform spaces and relationships, creating vibrant communities and new possibilities for the future.

International Kindness Movement

A movement that promotes a culture of kindness as a transformative force: it brings together people, organisations and communities in global initiatives that improve health, education, the environment and the economy, fostering genuine well-being and more humane relationships.

Zetafonts

Using typography as a civic act: a visual call for kindness as a transformative force. Fight for Kindness brings together hundreds of creatives from around the world in a global exhibition where design becomes a collective voice for imagining empathy, responsibility and shared change.

From the work of community shops to the role of community cooperatives in combating isolation in inland areas, social cohesion is the result of a diverse range of initiatives that contribute to the creation and strengthening of communities by addressing various aspects.

At times, literature, cinema and various art forms also serve as a means of bringing people together and foster the emergence of both formal and informal networks.

The students of Class IV CM (Made in Italy department) contributed to the creation of the content for this section: Alessandro Autino, Giorgia Cascarano, Emilia Beatriz Cedola, Andrea Congiu, Alessia Grosu, Maria Lucaci, Samuele Morlano, Mirko Paratore, Andrea Sinchetru

Teachers: Silvia Minniti and Nunzia Romano