THEor psychiatrist Paolo Crepet raise the alarm on disappearance of emotions in today’s society. In a recent interview with Corriere Fiorentino, the expert, who, with his show-debate based on the essay Bite the sky (Mondadori) is recording rock star numbers, 75 thousand theater attendances in the last year, paints a worrying scenario of modern human relationships.
Paolo Crepet: «Today is the eclipse of modern emotions»
«If you go around the city, finding a boy and a girl kissing has become very rare», observes Crepet, recalling how until recently the city porticoes and the surroundings of high schools were meeting places for young couples. According to the psychiatrist, in fact, we are witnessing a real “eclipse of emotions”: people have given up on experiencing feelings fully, they have exchanged emotions for the comfort zone, going so far as to perceive even love as a burden or burdensome commitment to be avoided.
Crepet’s criticism a Beaststhe media and social media
The psychiatrist then expressed concern about the future in the age of artificial intelligence and social media. He criticized the elimination of the artistic act, reduced to “selfies with a little heart-shaped mouth” and sponsorships on social media.
He does not spare criticism of the television worlddefining programs like “Belve” – where he says he would never go – as “pure desperation”, regretting the time when TV offered important cultural content, like Baricco’s programmes.
The 5 in conduct, the school: the pillars of change
To counteract this worrying emotional flattening, Crepet suggests three pillars: allow young people to make mistakes, instead of checking them obsessivelyalso criticizing the paradox of schizophrenia between the digital register at school to know everything and the ignorance of where the thirteen-year-old daughter is at two in the morning; set a good example in the use of technologyAnd seriously reform the school systemappreciating some recent initiatives such as the reintroduction of the 5 in conduct.
We are on the web about 6 hours a day. And it’s our fault if our children abuse it, says psychiatrist Paolo Crepet
Working on the “inner scar”
In his book, Crepet, in fact, explores the concept of the “inner scar” as a training element. Whether it’s the pain of losing a loved one or the disappointment of a failed exam, these “stumbles” are fundamental for personal growth. And he also cites the tennis player Sinner as an example of how defeats can be transformed into opportunities for improvement.
Hopes for the future
Despite the critical picture, Crepet, however, sees positive signs in the growing interest in quality content, like Alessandro Barbero’s historical podcasts. The key to nurturing young people’s emotions, he suggests, lies in exposure to role models capable of conveying authentic passion.
Technology and power: modern dictatorship?
Regarding the future, the psychiatrist maintains a cautious attitude towards new technologies: while recognizing the genius of figures like Elon Musk, he warns against the risk that technological power could transform into a form of modern dictatorship. His final message takes up the title of his book: The heaven must be “bitten” but not devouredpreserving its “inconsistencies and contradictions”.
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