In his book "Come With Me," Roberto Saviano lists the reasons why, despite everything, life is worth living. I have prepared a decalogue, identifying the reasons why you can be proud to be Neapolitan. And here you go:
- Being fellow countrymen of Giordano Bruno;
- The 'idea of placing a doormat at the entrance of the house with the words "Stevemo scarze!"
- 'Na pacienza 'e Giobbe,' eternal, Carlo Levi defines it in "Christ Stopped at Eboli"
- The narrative power of Giovambattista Basile, plundered by writers halfway across Europe
- The richness of the language with expressions such as 'nganne 'nganne, aummo aummo
- The ability to keep calm, minimizing anxieties and fears with the fateful phrase, "It's what 'and nothing!"
- The intelligence to counter Verona fans' racist slur, "Vesuvio think about it!" with similar banner bearing, "Juliet is 'na slut!"
- The voice of the greatest tenor in the history of opera: Enrico Caruso
- The ability to know how to regulate oneself and be able to do without regulations
- Southern peasant revolt branded as Brigandage.
And finally, making love on a summer afternoon. In the South.
Raffaele Viviani
