L’umanità al bivio secondo Il Professore di Viggiù di Aldo Nove

Abstract

This article addresses the transformations occurring at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, as depicted in the novel Il Professore di Viggiù (2018) by Aldo Nove. The Italian writer, known for his association with the “Cannibals” or “pulp” writers, increasingly explores themes of spirituality in his later works, while continuing to critique the alienation of the individual in a consumerist society. The starting point for the reflection is the concept of alienation as defined by Rahel Jaeggi, who describes it as a “relation in the relationlessness”. Of equal weight is the vision of Fritjof Capra, expressed in his The Turning Point, in which he reflects on the state of the world today. Capra envisions a harmonious future based on the integration of opposing energies and ecological awareness. The aim of this study is to examine how the vision presented by Nove corresponds with Capra’s thought. Although the diagnosis of contemporary reality found in the novel is largely pessimistic, juxtaposing it with the scientist’s perspective reveals constructive elements as well — such as spiritual seeking as a potential path for the development of humanity.