- 11/11/2016
- Posted by: Marta
- Categories: Insights, News
Rhetoric has several meanings.
In philosophical terms it is the art or technique of persuading by means of verbal or written linguistic tools. One of the founders of the rhetoric was Gorgia di Leontini (today's Lentini) who lived in the fifth century BC and to whom Plato entitled one of his Dialogues.
Socrates who interrogates the authoritative sophist, a disciple of Empedocles, with the tested Maieutic method, arrives at a series of affirmations and definitions. Among the first of which the last: "Rhetoric is (...) one of those arts that make a particularly wide use of the word" and among the second: "Rhetoric is (...) the creator of persuasion that leads to believe but does not teach about right or wrong ”.
Look keenly on Maurizio Ferraris in the Philosophical Dictionary, that "rhetoric appeared to Plato, closer to the culinary art than to medicine: more aimed at satisfying the taste than at improving the person".
The word, to expand its meaning, also stands tout court to indicate eloquence or refined style.
To read the Tuscan Proverbs, dating back to 1853, here is the voice of experience: "Love, deception and need teach rhetoric".
And we come to the derogatory use of the term, when it denotes how one chases, in speaking or writing, completely external effects, good for constructing emphatic expressions where commonplace triumphs, as much for épater le bourgeois.
Likewise, rhetoric is nothing but the emphatic and uncritical exaltation of assertions, scarce or lacking in references to reality.
From the parts of the rhetoric understood in a lesser sense are the days dedicated to some more or less relevant event.
We remain in the enclosure of our home and draw attention to what concerns the agri-food and the environment when it has negative repercussions on the edible fruits of the earth.
Distinguishing between jus conditum and jus condendum.
On the regulatory level in force, we recall a presidential decree and two laws.
With the Decree of the President of the Republic January 14, 1981, n. 50 was authorized for that year to issue celebratory and commemorative postal value cards. With this Presidential Decree, among other things, the issue of postal securities consisting of stamps celebrating the First World Food Day.
“Establishment of the National Day in memory of the victims of environmental and industrial disasters caused by human neglect ": is the title of the law of 14 June 2011, n. 101, containing a specific reflection on the consequences of the disasters caused by human neglect. The Republic, the text reads, recognizes October 9 (others had proposed 29 of the same month) as a National Day in memory of the victims of environmental and industrial disasters caused by human neglect. The National Day is considered a civil solemnity and does not lead to reductions in working hours in public offices nor, if it falls on a weekday, it constitutes a holiday or entails a reduction in hours for schools of all levels. Here is what we do (or we should) on October 9: events, ceremonies, meetings and common moments of memory of the events and reflection on the facts themselves can be organized on the national territory, without new or greater burdens on public finance. , also in schools of all types and levels, in order to promote information and awareness-raising activities and to develop greater awareness of the risks associated with interventions that alter the balance of the territory and the need to protect the country's environmental heritage.
The law 1 December 2015, n. 194 contains "Provisions for the protection and enhancement of biodiversity of agricultural and food interest". The Republic recognizes May 20 as National Biodiversity Day of agricultural and food interest. With a ritual formula, the recognition does not lead to a reduction in the working hours of public offices nor, if it falls on a working day, does it constitute a holiday or entail a reduction in hours for schools of all levels. On the occasion of the National Biodiversity Day of agricultural and food interest, ceremonies, initiatives, meetings and seminars are organized, in particular in schools of all types and levels, dedicated to the universal values of agricultural biodiversity and to the methods of protecting and conserving heritage. existing.
It follows: “De jure condendo”.
Now an excursus, referring to the current legislature, in the House and the Senate.
In the current legislature, several draft laws have been assigned to the competent committees, which have to be examined or must begin, which contain provisions suitable for establishing the fateful day.
On 22 September 2016, the Social Affairs Commission of the Chamber adopted a basic text of two bills (C.197, by Pino Pisicchio of the Mixed Group and C.3397, by Mario Mazzariti of the PI-CD) with which the National Day of the fight against poverty with the objective of stimulating reflection and raising awareness of the need to eliminate poverty and indigence in all their forms and in all States. The Day is celebrated on 17 October each year, in conjunction with the International Day against Poverty, established by the United Nations General Assembly with resolution no. 47/196 of 31 March 1993. In this regard there are some doubts about the usefulness of this event. In the first two works of mercy it is written: "To feed the hungry and give drink to the thirsty". According to the Gospel of Luke (3, 11) the Baptist preached thus: “Whoever has two tunics, give one to him who has none; and whoever has food, do the same ". The beautiful words, even if solemnly expressed during a particular day, do not alleviate the suffering of those who suffer from hunger. Nor is the patriotic spirit lacking, which some, we do not know how wrongly, think it manifests itself only on the occasion of the national team football matches. In fact, it is expected that on the occasion of the Day the national flag and that of the European Union must be displayed outside the buildings housing public offices. On the same occasion, initiatives and meetings are organized throughout the national territory in order to raise public awareness of civil solidarity towards the poor and the population, in particular those of school age, on the issues of combating social exclusion and poverty.
On the other hand, the examination of the bill has not begun presented to Camera C. 299, on the initiative of Susanna Cenni (PD) and others: "Establishment of the National Day dedicated to the culture of the peasant world and the Italian Network of the memory of peasant civilization". The Agriculture Commission will have to deal with it. In the first place, 11 November is expected to be recognized by the Republic as a National Day dedicated to the culture of the peasant world. The Day represents a deadline for all those who, for various reasons, deal with the problems inherent to peasant culture: institutions, the agricultural world, public and private cultural institutes, individual scholars directly involved in the conservation and dissemination of memory that on XNUMX November intends to celebrate, also through a consistent network of museums, archives and libraries, but also producers' associations, cooperators, entrepreneurs, schools, universities and research. The report to the bill reads: "The issues that can characterize the Day are, in fact, many, offer different ideas and lend themselves to being addressed from different points of view: it is therefore desirable that such a deadline be used at better and favors, at least, the meeting, the memory and the proposal on what has been and on the possible economic and social scenarios of an increasingly complex and less and less predictable future ". The establishment of the Italian Network of the memory of peasant civilization is also hypothesized, composed of centers for documentation, research and the collection of oral and material testimonies from the peasant world and associations, foundations and public and private bodies and institutes. Coordination will be provided by the Ministers of Agricultural Policies and for Cultural Heritage and Activities, with shared addresses in the permanent conference for relations between the State - Regions, which will take action to provide, within their respective Internet sites, to establish one ad hoc.
The proposal for law C. 1182 is by Deborah Bergamini (PdL): “Establishment of the National Day against Counterfeiting and Commercial Piracy”. Proposal assigned to the Constitutional Affairs Commission, which has yet to start examining it. It is a provision structured in a few articles. The National Day, civil solemnity, against counterfeiting and piracy in the commercial field is established and the areas in which the subjects involved (trade associations, law enforcement agencies, companies, institutions) are called to work to combat counterfeiting are outlined and commercial piracy. Regions and local authorities will make themselves available for the promotion of awareness-raising and in-depth initiatives in relation to the criminal phenomenon. The Ministers of Economic Development, Education, University, Agricultural Policies and Health will issue directives, each for their own area of competence, aimed at addressing the phenomenon in its various implications. According to COLDIRETTI in the agri-food sector there is talk of a turnover of sixty billion euros equal to double the value of the exports of the original product ". Counterfeiting produces distorting effects consisting of economic damage to businesses, to the consumer, of a social nature, to the public treasury and to the market. The practice of counterfeiting discourages innovation and encourages crime. The responsibilities do not fall only on the state, but also on all virtuous citizens who knowingly buy counterfeit products. It is worth remembering that in the current legislature the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry into the phenomena of counterfeiting and piracy in the commercial field approved in the session of 6 December 2011 a Report on counterfeiting in the agri-food sector: a sector that does not seem to be experiencing a crisis.
Another law proposal, C. 2403, assigned to the Culture Commission, whose examination has not yet begun, on the initiative of Susanna Cenni and others: Establishment of the National Day for food education and the prevention of eating disorders ”. National Day is celebrated annually in public educational institutions on October 16, on the anniversary of World Food Day. Events, meetings and training, educational and didactic moments will be organized by means of educational, didactic and training activities, in order to promote information and awareness of the importance of greater awareness in the choice of correct nutrition and the prevention of eating disorders. The National Day will also be a moment of reflection for children, young people and families and of raising awareness of the entire community on the importance, for human health, of a correct diet based on the quality, healthiness and sustainability of products. Finally, the day will be an opportunity for knowledge and study of the nutritional principles and foods that make up the Mediterranean diet, also through the direct involvement of agri-food producers operating in the area.
Another law proposal (C. 2834) to be examined by the Agriculture Commission. It was presented by Michela Rostan (PD) and others: “Establishment of the National Day against biocide and the lands of fires”. Campania is a happy land, where there is a pleasant and vast area, located between the provinces of Naples and Caserta, which has passed into the black and judicial news due to the presence of toxic waste and consequent fires that are so beneficial to the health of the resident population. We therefore propose yet another National Day to remember all the victims of the effects of environmental pollution caused by the illicit treatment and disposal of all kinds of waste, including their combustion, their landfill, their dispersion into the sea and any other methodology. diffusion of the same in ecosystems. On 19 January, ceremonies, initiatives, meetings and common moments of discussion and narration will be organized concerning events of particular and significant cultural and pedagogical impact in Italian and international history, with which to affirm the values of environmental protection and ecosystems , as well as the principles of legality and civic sense in the management and treatment of waste, intended specifically for school students of all levels, in order to promote and disseminate these values and to establish a strong culture of contrast of all forms of violence and mortification of the environment. The Camorra, fearful of something else, thanks.
Last proposal (C. 3079) presented to the Chamber on the initiative of Emanuele Prataviera (Mixed Group) and others: “Establishment of the National Day in memory of the victims of the economic crisis”. The Productive Activities Commission will take care of it. April 30 will be the day to preserve and renew the memory of those who have lost their lives due to the economic crisis and monetary policies. For this purpose, ceremonies, initiatives and meetings will be organized throughout the national territory in order to sensitize public opinion, institutions and social forces on individual and social problems that can cause economic and monetary crises. The Minister of Labor and local authorities are called upon to promote specific initiatives in the workplace to encourage the adoption of employment policies and to support artisans and small and medium-sized enterprises. A celebratory event was enough to bring the dead back to life, including those who could not resist the hardships due to food shortages!
Let's move to the Senate.
The draft law S. 313, of an ordinary nature, entitled: "Provisions for the enhancement and promotion of the Mediterranean diet", under examination by the Agriculture Commission since January 2016, was presented. Leana Pignedoli (PD) and others. During the proceedings, the Commission resolved to discuss the provision together with the draft law no. 313, on the initiative of Salvatore Tomaselli (PD) and others: "Provisions for the protection, enhancement and promotion of the Mediterranean diet". Among other things, both measures include the National Day of the Mediterranean diet - a World Heritage Site - to be celebrated on November 926 each year throughout the country: an opportunity to spread and emphasize the values of this diet.
The writer quietly expresses the warning that the flood of countless commemorative and celebratory events, international and national, referring to the most disparate issues and problems, leaves the time it finds.
Flatus vocis, in the words of the theologian Roscellino of Compiègne.
Bruno Nobile
