More on Italy
Italy manages to capture headlines on a fairly consistent basis. Lately, those have focused on the issue of immigration and the financial kerfuffle that resulted from the government's stated skepticism about the benefits of Italy remaining in the EU.
Discounting for the fact that I'm Italian-American, I think it's fair to say that Italy remains one of the most interesting and appealing countries on the map. People love to visit - and for good reason. Besides the food, it's physical beauty and weather have attracted visitors from around the world throughout history. Germans and Brits were especially attracted to "sunny Italy going back hundreds of years. Having spent some time there, I can see why. Even with today's glut of tourists, it's worth a visit.
These days, accompanying this appeal, the Italian government consistently provides amusement for political commentators. Since World War II, it seems the government changes every year or so as the result of some sort of "crisis." Other European governments, while more volatile than our own U.S. federal government, appear like placid islands of stability in comparison. Of course, one could conjecture that the constant political turmoil keeps Italian politicians on a short leash, something we Americans might consider for our own representatives. Indeed, with that short leash in place, we're seeing how - when pushed hard enough - Italian citizens responded rather quickly and forcefully to express their discontent over loose immigration and the incursions of EU bureaucrats into their lives.
Speaking of World War II, the Italian army of the Second World War was the butt of many a joke. Maybe it's deserved, maybe not. On the other hand, we hear little of the Italian army of World War I. By way of contrast with WWII, the Italian army in WWI fought one of the most bloody and courageous battles of the Great War, as it was known at the time, against the troops of Austria-Hungary in the northern mountains of the Italian peninsula.
The battles fought in these mountains were recently brought to my attention by a friend and fellow history buff. The medium he chose was an excellent article from Smithsonian Magazine online. It's quite long - longer than most people are willing to sit still for these days. But I assure you it's worth your time and attention. The article recounts a recent expedition to the battle grounds. To encourage you to read it, here are some selected highlights:
Discounting for the fact that I'm Italian-American, I think it's fair to say that Italy remains one of the most interesting and appealing countries on the map. People love to visit - and for good reason. Besides the food, it's physical beauty and weather have attracted visitors from around the world throughout history. Germans and Brits were especially attracted to "sunny Italy going back hundreds of years. Having spent some time there, I can see why. Even with today's glut of tourists, it's worth a visit.
These days, accompanying this appeal, the Italian government consistently provides amusement for political commentators. Since World War II, it seems the government changes every year or so as the result of some sort of "crisis." Other European governments, while more volatile than our own U.S. federal government, appear like placid islands of stability in comparison. Of course, one could conjecture that the constant political turmoil keeps Italian politicians on a short leash, something we Americans might consider for our own representatives. Indeed, with that short leash in place, we're seeing how - when pushed hard enough - Italian citizens responded rather quickly and forcefully to express their discontent over loose immigration and the incursions of EU bureaucrats into their lives.
Speaking of World War II, the Italian army of the Second World War was the butt of many a joke. Maybe it's deserved, maybe not. On the other hand, we hear little of the Italian army of World War I. By way of contrast with WWII, the Italian army in WWI fought one of the most bloody and courageous battles of the Great War, as it was known at the time, against the troops of Austria-Hungary in the northern mountains of the Italian peninsula.
The battles fought in these mountains were recently brought to my attention by a friend and fellow history buff. The medium he chose was an excellent article from Smithsonian Magazine online. It's quite long - longer than most people are willing to sit still for these days. But I assure you it's worth your time and attention. The article recounts a recent expedition to the battle grounds. To encourage you to read it, here are some selected highlights:
- “On no front, not on the sun-scorched plains of Mesopotamia, nor in the frozen Mazurian marshes, nor in the blood-soaked mud of Flanders, does the fighting man lead so arduous an existence as up here on the roof of the world.”
- ...the Italians’ main effort was even more daring and difficult, as we would soon see.
- “Strange, everyone knows that sooner or later he will have to die, and one hardly thinks about it,” he wrote. “But when death is certain, and one even knows the deadline, it eclipses everything: every thought and feeling.”
- “I have more in common with these Austrians and Italians who are buried under my feet than I do with a lot of contemporary society,”
Italy's current and ongoing political turmoil pales in comparison to what the Italian soldiers and citizens faced in war - either WWI or WWII. This story also puts into perspective any anxiety or frustration we, as investors, experience when dealing with difficult markets, such as we're now facing. Losing money - or not making as much as you'd like - isn't pleasant, but it's certainly not the end of the world. Some things matter a lot more than others.
Comments