Grasshopper

Dear Vortexino, I appreciate the apology, but where did you read that I complain about your bad behavior? I only said that I distance myself from your attitude, which echoes that of AlessioIride, claiming a different one that I believe to be more constructive. Good and evil are your concerns: absolute categories, as absolute as the certainties that unite you and AlessioIride. I certainly don’t pretend to have the truth or goodness in my pocket. I admit I have my doubts; in fact, I cherish them jealously because I think they are the spice of every thought and every rational discussion. Of course, thinking about it, I realize I'm wasting time: what sense does it make to exercise my doubting skills on you, on Romeo (fake or not fake?), and (especially, which is far more serious) on a review of Orietta Berti?

I would say that no one pretends to put themselves on a pedestal, but I simply claim a style and attitude different from those of AlessioIride or Vortex. Based on the assumption (perhaps incorrect: unlike the aforementioned two, I don’t have absolute certainties...) that Romeo is not here to make fun of us, but is simply a fan of commercial music like many others, perhaps accidentally ended up in the wrong place, I prefer to invite him (to be honest, with little hope of getting much) to broaden his musical horizons, rather than shouting at him that he doesn’t understand a damn thing and that he should get the hell out of here as soon as possible. If all this seems to you like liberalism, weakness, foolishness, and so on, so be it: I’m made this way and I cannot become "hard and pure" to please you.

P.S. I correct myself with Cptgaio: the statement I attributed to him, that being polite is not a sign of weakness but rather of maturity, so obvious yet at the same time so misunderstood, is not his but Geenoo's. I imagine, however, that it also represents what Cptgaio thinks, or at least I suppose so from the tone of his posts, which are always grounded in reasoning and never in bickering.

AlessioIride, it seems to me that you have an overflowing ego that you unfortunately can't contain. Perhaps you are very young, or maybe it's a requirement of your rockstar role: I don't know and I couldn't care less. It's good of you to recommend scholarly readings: in this country filled with potentially illiterate people, it's always useful. But here at the end of the day, we are on a site that deals with music, right? Why shouldn't someone who has a bit of time allow themselves, perhaps between two hefty tomes of philosophy, to read some of my (or others') reviews? It seems to me that the two things are compatible. With all possible affection, along with a sincere and warm invitation to tone down your arrogance a bit, I extend this invitation also to the excellent Vortex. As Cptgaio said many posts ago, being polite is not a sign of weakness, but rather of strength and maturity, and this alone should have nipped this unnecessary discussion in the bud. Now I’m off: the tagliatelle is waiting for me.

Damn.. I’ve discovered what’s wrong with my profile. It needs to be updated: I now have Internet at home. Thanks Vortex

You can't step away from the computer for a few hours without Vortex popping up with its praise for bias and prejudice. What can you say in response to Vortex? Not much can be said to nothing. I don't know... if it really can't stand education and balance, you can only suggest that it turns on the TV, finds the first political debate it comes across, and enjoys watching two or more idiots fighting, each denying what the other says outright, until 90% of the time it ends up in a brawl and in the end, not a coherent sentence is heard. As long as it’s happy... Replies are welcome, and perhaps even more in-depth comments about what's so strange in my profile. Only a little effort is required, although I see it's tougher for Vortex than for Honorable Gasparri. I’m not saying to think before speaking, which would really be too much, but at least don’t insult before starting a sentence. You know, Vortex, us "nice people" who are educated don’t appreciate that, even if you have to admit that it attracts an audience...

Thank you, Alessio, but it will take me time to reach your absolute certainties: consider that I still have some DOUBTS that Romeo is actually a true enthusiast of the stuff he proposes to us. But, with time, it will fade away...

Alright. If AlessioIride said it, there's no doubt: you're definitely a fake. I'm sorry, Romeo, I had you pegged as an average Italian with musical tastes I don't even share a comma of (Ivan Graziani aside) but at least moved by a sincere passion for what you were talking about. But the Oracle has spoken: enough, you're a fake. And anyway, I won't give you 1 + 1 either, if only to spite AlessioIride, as well as to maintain my place in the dense squad of his "demented," a squad to which I am sincerely honored to belong.

@AlessioIride: I know it's hard for you to be calm, so I don't want to push you, but could you explain, preferably without spitting insults or venom, where these absolute certainties of yours come from? I mean, if it wasn't clear, the absolute certainty that Romeo is a fake who's been messing with us for days, and the consequent belief that I am an idiot who fell for it and takes him seriously. No, I'm saying this because it may be that I've practiced the art of DOUBT since I was born, but I don't share your absolute conviction of being right, me and only me. For example, to get back to Romeo, I say that his candor SEEMS authentic to ME, but deep down I have the DOUBT (ever heard that word, AlessioIride? If I were you and had a notebook, I'd jot it down right away) that he might be a fake, what do you think?

Having once given a 3 to a review of the good Romeo, I have rightfully entered the ranks of the "demented according to AlessioIride," which doesn't really bother me all that much, since this category roughly corresponds to the entire human race, minus, of course, AlessioIride himself and (perhaps) a few of his close friends. I will nevertheless attempt to justify my presumed dementia. Romeo writes in a simple, rather banal manner, I would say, but clear and readable. Above all, it seems to me—unless he is a fake adept at repeatedly pulling the wool over our eyes—that he acts in perfect good faith, driven by a sincere, naive passion for what he discusses. And here lies the problem, because it is also true for me that what he discusses is the worst of the worst that one can imagine: not artists but mere products of the music industry, whether they are "phenomena" of recent invention or hail from a decidedly unglorious past. Little songs of almost no artistic value, merchandise created for ephemeral success, which will (hopefully) leave no trace in the history of Italian music (considering that, at least for now, Romeo does not venture beyond national borders) or at most form part of the "cultural" heritage of the infamous average Italian. Despite all this, perhaps due to the good faith I have already mentioned, perhaps because it is too easy to shoot at the Red Cross, I do not feel the obligation to sink Romeo along with his "artists" with a double 1. For the latter (with the exception of Ivan Graziani), it is obvious that a 1 would be mandatory (I also transgressed here with a 2 and I beg forgiveness from the relentless AlessioIride, but these were little songs that summoned my childhood memories), but why extend such a humiliating vote even to the simple, candid writings of our Romeo?