“Learning to do difficult things”: re-reading Calvino and Rodari to understand how to deal with the challenges of Artificial Intelligence
In these contentious and troubling times, it is worth seeking out some words full of meaning and wisdom. One could, for example, revisit Italo Calvino, who said: “Direct your attention solely towards challenging tasks, executed flawlessly, tasks that demand effort; be wary of ‘slapdashery’, of doing things just for the sake of it. Aim for precision in both your speech and your actions.”
These words are from an interview conducted in 1981 with Alberto Sinigaglia for Rai 3, as part of the series “Twenty Years to Two Thousand” (“Vent’anni al Duemila”), published as a book under the same title the subsequent year. Recently, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi echoed these sentiments in his Sunday column for IlSole24Ore (29 September), in an entry titled “Slapdashery” (“Faciloneria”): “These incisive words… resonate even more today, over forty years on, in an era where technology appears to have made everything straightforward, convenient and seemingly easy. This is the very precipice where one might easily tumble into ‘slapdashery’, swiftly followed by a host of related tendencies, including superficiality, approximation, triviality and recklessness.”
Ravasi continues: “Language itself is often a spontaneous stream of words that eludes all control and certainly any fine-tuning; operational decisions are made without due consideration; thought arises without reflection. As soon as a challenging path emerges – one that demands sweat, patience and effort – we retreat to the valley and its gentler routes.”
In summary, “both the family and school education systems are geared towards requiring the bare minimum; woe betide anyone who suggests a disciplined and dedicated lifestyle, along with rigorous and persistent study; the very notion of sacrifice is shunned, making way for all that is ‘now’.” And all that is ‘now’ often lacks both wisdom and elegance, in thought and in style. However, aesthetics and ethics are deeply interconnected.
Here is the crux of the matter: to confront the superficiality of a world dominated by rash and purely emotional judgements, pervasive ignorance, and the inclination, so cherished by social media, to reduce the complexity of human actions and relationships to the triviality of likes and emojis, it is vital to revert to the meaningful use of words, to the depth of reasoning found within a well-articulated argument, and to the pages that compel us to think critically, steering clear of rhetoric and propaganda. We must turn, therefore, to the robust foundation of culture, and to the critical understanding of science.
It is essential to first instil in children the value of reading, both at home and at school, by establishing a culture where books are fundamental for the joy of exploration and the delight of discovering new things.
A tough task? Less so than you might imagine. To see for yourself, simply observe the well-designed and furnished spaces bustling with happy children in the most enlightened and discerning bookshops. Whatever the case may be, this is essential for those who want the brightest future for our children and grandchildren.
So it is difficult, then? Yes. But so what?
Alternative pages offer advice, such as those in the “Letter to Children” presented as a poem within Gianni Rodari’s “Words to Play” (Parole per giocare): “It’s hard to do / the difficult things / to speak to the deaf / reveal the rose to the blind / Children, learn / to do the difficult things / extend a hand to the blind / sing to the deaf / liberate the slaves / who believe themselves to be free.” This last quotation comes from 1979, nearly half a century ago, but now seems almost prophetic to us when considering the obliviousness characterising the relationship millions have with digital tools and social media.
Calvino and Rodari were effective educators, imparting lessons in literature and the values of sound cultural and civil education. Similarly, Primo Levi, through his writings, conveyed the harrowing memories of the Holocaust and the beauty of mechanics (‘The Wrench’) as well as the elegance of science (‘The Periodic Table’). Of course there are so many other women and men, who have conveyed the narrative of their own journeys of discovery (delving into both the heart’s depths and the soul’s core), of entrepreneurship, creativity, and life experiences (encompassing the understanding of pain) through words and images. These are masters of multi-layered language, of memory and thus of the future. Their words are worth revisiting and using as inspiration for further journeys of thought. They are dialectical words, reflective of an open society. In essence, they encourage us to see society as a whole, as a prerequisite for understanding any specific area of knowledge. One must broaden one’s perspective in order to delve deeply and effectively.
Where, exactly, does the meaning of a man’s life lie? It is in what is spoken, written, and done. It is in the experience of love, in the friendships cultivated and reciprocated. It is in being a father, both to children and to ideas. It is in one’s creations. It is in the traces, no matter how faint and fleeting, that we leave on the lives and fates of others. It is in the lessons learned and passed on. And it is in the intentions that continue to inspire us, even as the years advance. There is always a good time to be alive.
Thus, the insightful words of Don Lorenzo Milani come to mind regarding knowledge: “The boss knows a thousand words. The worker knows a hundred. That’s why he is the boss.” This was the stark reality of the 1960s. Yet, the message is unmistakable: imbalances in language use stem from one’s social status and contribute to the entrenchment of the divide. Indeed, it is the spread of knowledge that bears the responsibility to attempt to bridge, or at least narrow, disparities in power, wealth, and opportunities. School serves as the principal mechanism for social mobility (or lifelong learning, as we would term it today). The Italian Constitution aptly highlights its fundamental nature, even at a time when digital transformations present novel challenges to those endeavouring to chart new pathways for sustainable growth and improved social and cultural equilibria.
AI tools effortlessly provide those who are technologically equipped with a multitude of word combinations. They build arguments and infuse knowledge with new elements. They tools generate pages with syntax, coherence and meaning. However, they require activation through questions, i.e. with verbal processes rich in significance and viewpoints. And there must be an understanding of the logical and cultural mechanisms that underpin the creation of digital connections. While innovation presents extraordinary opportunities, it also introduces new challenges and disparities that we must strive to surmount.
This journey also leads us back to the crucial importance of understanding the relevant words, not only for those who prompt AI systems but also for users and consumers. It is a challenge that goes beyond technological advancement – a matter of critical awareness. In essence, it concerns the very heart of democracy.
(Photo Getty Images)
In these contentious and troubling times, it is worth seeking out some words full of meaning and wisdom. One could, for example, revisit Italo Calvino, who said: “Direct your attention solely towards challenging tasks, executed flawlessly, tasks that demand effort; be wary of ‘slapdashery’, of doing things just for the sake of it. Aim for precision in both your speech and your actions.”
These words are from an interview conducted in 1981 with Alberto Sinigaglia for Rai 3, as part of the series “Twenty Years to Two Thousand” (“Vent’anni al Duemila”), published as a book under the same title the subsequent year. Recently, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi echoed these sentiments in his Sunday column for IlSole24Ore (29 September), in an entry titled “Slapdashery” (“Faciloneria”): “These incisive words… resonate even more today, over forty years on, in an era where technology appears to have made everything straightforward, convenient and seemingly easy. This is the very precipice where one might easily tumble into ‘slapdashery’, swiftly followed by a host of related tendencies, including superficiality, approximation, triviality and recklessness.”
Ravasi continues: “Language itself is often a spontaneous stream of words that eludes all control and certainly any fine-tuning; operational decisions are made without due consideration; thought arises without reflection. As soon as a challenging path emerges – one that demands sweat, patience and effort – we retreat to the valley and its gentler routes.”
In summary, “both the family and school education systems are geared towards requiring the bare minimum; woe betide anyone who suggests a disciplined and dedicated lifestyle, along with rigorous and persistent study; the very notion of sacrifice is shunned, making way for all that is ‘now’.” And all that is ‘now’ often lacks both wisdom and elegance, in thought and in style. However, aesthetics and ethics are deeply interconnected.
Here is the crux of the matter: to confront the superficiality of a world dominated by rash and purely emotional judgements, pervasive ignorance, and the inclination, so cherished by social media, to reduce the complexity of human actions and relationships to the triviality of likes and emojis, it is vital to revert to the meaningful use of words, to the depth of reasoning found within a well-articulated argument, and to the pages that compel us to think critically, steering clear of rhetoric and propaganda. We must turn, therefore, to the robust foundation of culture, and to the critical understanding of science.
It is essential to first instil in children the value of reading, both at home and at school, by establishing a culture where books are fundamental for the joy of exploration and the delight of discovering new things.
A tough task? Less so than you might imagine. To see for yourself, simply observe the well-designed and furnished spaces bustling with happy children in the most enlightened and discerning bookshops. Whatever the case may be, this is essential for those who want the brightest future for our children and grandchildren.
So it is difficult, then? Yes. But so what?
Alternative pages offer advice, such as those in the “Letter to Children” presented as a poem within Gianni Rodari’s “Words to Play” (Parole per giocare): “It’s hard to do / the difficult things / to speak to the deaf / reveal the rose to the blind / Children, learn / to do the difficult things / extend a hand to the blind / sing to the deaf / liberate the slaves / who believe themselves to be free.” This last quotation comes from 1979, nearly half a century ago, but now seems almost prophetic to us when considering the obliviousness characterising the relationship millions have with digital tools and social media.
Calvino and Rodari were effective educators, imparting lessons in literature and the values of sound cultural and civil education. Similarly, Primo Levi, through his writings, conveyed the harrowing memories of the Holocaust and the beauty of mechanics (‘The Wrench’) as well as the elegance of science (‘The Periodic Table’). Of course there are so many other women and men, who have conveyed the narrative of their own journeys of discovery (delving into both the heart’s depths and the soul’s core), of entrepreneurship, creativity, and life experiences (encompassing the understanding of pain) through words and images. These are masters of multi-layered language, of memory and thus of the future. Their words are worth revisiting and using as inspiration for further journeys of thought. They are dialectical words, reflective of an open society. In essence, they encourage us to see society as a whole, as a prerequisite for understanding any specific area of knowledge. One must broaden one’s perspective in order to delve deeply and effectively.
Where, exactly, does the meaning of a man’s life lie? It is in what is spoken, written, and done. It is in the experience of love, in the friendships cultivated and reciprocated. It is in being a father, both to children and to ideas. It is in one’s creations. It is in the traces, no matter how faint and fleeting, that we leave on the lives and fates of others. It is in the lessons learned and passed on. And it is in the intentions that continue to inspire us, even as the years advance. There is always a good time to be alive.
Thus, the insightful words of Don Lorenzo Milani come to mind regarding knowledge: “The boss knows a thousand words. The worker knows a hundred. That’s why he is the boss.” This was the stark reality of the 1960s. Yet, the message is unmistakable: imbalances in language use stem from one’s social status and contribute to the entrenchment of the divide. Indeed, it is the spread of knowledge that bears the responsibility to attempt to bridge, or at least narrow, disparities in power, wealth, and opportunities. School serves as the principal mechanism for social mobility (or lifelong learning, as we would term it today). The Italian Constitution aptly highlights its fundamental nature, even at a time when digital transformations present novel challenges to those endeavouring to chart new pathways for sustainable growth and improved social and cultural equilibria.
AI tools effortlessly provide those who are technologically equipped with a multitude of word combinations. They build arguments and infuse knowledge with new elements. They tools generate pages with syntax, coherence and meaning. However, they require activation through questions, i.e. with verbal processes rich in significance and viewpoints. And there must be an understanding of the logical and cultural mechanisms that underpin the creation of digital connections. While innovation presents extraordinary opportunities, it also introduces new challenges and disparities that we must strive to surmount.
This journey also leads us back to the crucial importance of understanding the relevant words, not only for those who prompt AI systems but also for users and consumers. It is a challenge that goes beyond technological advancement – a matter of critical awareness. In essence, it concerns the very heart of democracy.
(Photo Getty Images)