October 27, 2016

I've always thought of civilization as a thin veneer over a roiling turmoil of base instincts. And the past few years have made me increasingly fear for the worst, that the barbarians are at the gate and we're about to sink into yet another period of human folly during which the worst of our impulses are expressed. It's not just Trump, it's the millions of people who would follow such a grotesque, egomaniacal snake-oil salesman. And it's not just the United States. The forces of willful ignorance seem to be gaining ascendancy worldwide. But visiting Italy, going in and out of countless 500, 600, 800 year old structures filled with paintings, sculptures, decorative art, maps, anatomical models and other scientific artifacts, once again gave me solace. It's a reminder that there's a pervasive and time-tested yearning for us to create beauty and permanence, to try to make sense of our existence through art and science, to create monuments, to celebrate our cultural achievements. Lord knows, Italy has had its share of upheavals. Wars, plagues, earthquakes, inquisitions, political and religious insanity. And yet much of the beauty created over these many hundreds of years not only survives, but is revered, and crowds of people flock to see it. I got a renewed sense that we may go through bad times and good, but even in the face of adversity the human spirit and drive to create and communicate prevail.

Photo: Train station, Bologna, October 2016