Originally Published: 2007-02-11

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Why do you criticize the concept of unity?
"The ideal of modernity was unification. Even now, large entities such as the European Union - which is not entirely negative - derive from a modern ideal of unity as an antidote to disorder. Today it seems to me that this idea has become unsupportable, since we all depend from the same vision of life, which thus becomes unbearable. Moreover, human tradition developed and consolidated through many cultures. It's like having many prescription drugs; getting rid of all but one means giving up on our ability to survive. Today's keyword should be diversity. I believe that the European Union must go ahead, but seriously, not as a mere appendage of the larger globalized unity centred on the United States. The EU should be something else; not an enemy, of course, but different, enlivening the horizon of world politics."
So you see the EU as not autonomous enough?
"Yes, the European Union is definitely not autonomous enough. Just think that I was a member of a committee of the European Parliament investigating Echelon, the large wiretapping system that also includes Canada, the United Kingdom, etc. We could not achieve anything. Once someone asked, 'Are communications within the EU, between the Commission and the Parliament, secure?' The answer was, 'Sure! The systems were tested by the Pentagon...' In other words, we are pretty sure that the U.S. administration knows everything it wishes to know. This is where Europe is today. I won't say that we are a colony, but I think of Italy, which is especially targeted because we have U.S. military bases on our territory. I would like to change all this, but nothing really serious can be done except make life more complicated for the overlords by multiplying forms, communities, groups. We should not let ourselves be restricted."
In your lecture you mentioned euthanasia.
"This is an Italian problem, complicated by the presence of the Vatican. I consider myself a good Catholic, but if I could get rid of Vatican influence on Italian law I would be glad; at present, euthanasia, abortion, embryo manipulation and PACS (family contracts) cannot even be mentioned, because Italian politicians are much more timid than they seem. For instance, polls find that 67% of Italians are in favour of PACS, yet politicians are afraid of being targeted by the bishops in an election. In addition, this government is very weak, and therefore easily blackmailed."

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