Book, 44 cards from the liquid modern world[LS]

These days, we are bombarded by information from all sides. How to separate what is important and meaningful from what is superfluous and disposable? This was the intention of sociologist Zygmunt Bauman when he was invited by the Italian magazine La Repubblica delle Donne - a cultural publication aimed mainly at a female audience - to write letters commenting on aspects of what the sociologist calls the "liquid modern world". There were two years (from 2008 to 2009) in which Bauman wrote fortnightly for Italian readers on topics such as the iPod; Twitter; Facebook; Barack Obama; credit cards and swine flu. This book presents a selection of 44 of these texts. Few events escape Bauman's watchful eye, who presents brief and brilliant analyzes of contemporary life. The sociologist's ability to discover meanings behind apparently simple acts is surprising - a cell phone call, the display of a photo on Facebook, a billboard, a list of credit card expenses. All these facts that seem casual and disconnected come together to reinforce man's affliction in the liquid world: searching for his identity. And the sociologist warns: only together can we combat "social evils", opting for individualism would be the same as preparing ourselves for our own biodegradation and recycling.