stephan faris wrote “arrivederci italia” for time magazine.

this article is based on a negative stereotype.

in my opinion, article represents inability to understand the culture investigated.

“rrivederci italia” is superficial, no solid research apart from some basic statistic which can be misrepresented, conclusions seem very emotional and subjective – based on frustration with the culture rather than objective observation.

stephan faris concludes that italy (as a kind of a generalized entity) does not respect its young, and that the young are forced to escape italy to realize their ambitions.

i have lived and worked bit less than five years in italy (1/6 of my life and almost 1/3 of my working life) and i had an amazingly successful career between ages of 20 and 24. only reason this career stopped was my choice. i was given every single opportunity to succeed and grow, full support from everybody i met.

i am again starting to work with italian businesses and again, at age of 32, i have the same openess and support. there is not one single problem with me being young or even being non-italian. actually i am amazed at how welcoming and open italian businesses are.

i work with young people starting from 24 who are all open, hard working and have adequate career positions, if not even more advanced positions.

companies i visit have more young people than old people – even traditional companies – who are active in company strategy and development and are considered valuable.

italians do love to stay close to their family, but not, as mr faris suggests, only for the sake of economic reasons.

article makes isolated examples how italians do make more money a year working in usa but there is no real breakdown on total effect on quality of life and hidden expenses. considering italian health care is far better and cheaper than usa, quality work / quality of life ration is better, etc… i find it silly to compare usa and italy seriously.

if an individual prefers one thing or the other that is one thing, but why make a dramatical article in time magazine how italy is killing its youth’ ambitions? surely overdone!

richard stengel, managing editor of time magazine, should know better than to publish such negatively generalized articles, especially if generalizations are on the level of nations.

time magazine is ideologically undeveloped. a bit more vision is needed.