Se non conosci, hai paura | Alessandro Cacciato | TEDxGela

Initial Skepticism and the Search for Credibility

• Alessandro has been living in Sicily for 30 years and considers it his home, where he works as an innovation disseminator, but often faces skepticism when sharing stories of people who have chosen to solve old problems through innovation, with many saying it's impossible to change a community's or nation's story (33s).
• He began a journey to understand how to overcome this initial distrust and started by reflecting on the concept of credibility, realizing that he had made his life difficult by being a promoter of new ideas that people were not used to (1m14s).
• In his youth, Alessandro worked at a Sicilian radio station, where he was featured on large posters in his underwear, which didn't exactly contribute to his credibility (1m40s).
• However, he later met a person who changed his life, Riccardo Luna, the first director of Wired magazine, who indicated a new path for him and introduced him to people who were trying to do something different (2m1s).

Inspiration and the Book "Il Sud Vola"

• Alessandro also met Andrea Bartoli, the founder of Farm Cultural Park, who invested his private funds in creating an independent cultural center in Favara, a town in southern Sicily (2m43s).
• Inspired by these people, Alessandro decided to write a book about those who choose to be "oltre" (beyond) and solve old problems with new ideas, and he eventually published a book titled "Il Sud Vola" (The South Flies) (3m28s).
• Despite the book's title, many people questioned how the South could be flying when they still lacked water and job opportunities, but Alessandro sent the book to the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, and received a response (3m54s).

The Concept of Revolution and Technological Advancements

• A letter can be encouraging and help identify a crucial aspect for development, but it may not provide access to funding to do one's work in a more impactful way, giving the courage to continue understanding what a revolution is (4m33s).
• A revolution occurs when a revolutionary act happens, changing the world from that moment on, making it impossible to go back to the way things were before, such as the invention of electricity (5m22s).
• One of the latest revolutions happened on January 9, 2007, with the introduction of a phone without keys, changing the way people communicate, access information, and interact with each other (5m51s).
• This revolution led to the development of social networks, but also brought problems like fake news and disinformation, changing the way people interact with each other (6m31s).
• The rapid pace of this change may have made it difficult for people to understand what is happening, with the transformation occurring between 2005 and 2013 (6m54s).

The Smartphone Paradox and the Unawareness of Web 3

• People are spending a significant amount of time on their smartphones, with some spending up to 8 hours a day connected to the internet, potentially accessing a vast amount of information (7m16s).
• Despite being connected for several hours a day, many people are not aware of the upcoming revolution of Web 3, highlighting a paradox of being connected but lacking awareness (7m36s).
• History is full of examples of people and companies that had the technology to change their lives or businesses but failed to do so, such as Kodak, which had the patent for the first digital camera but did not develop it (8m5s).
• Alfa Romeo also had the opportunity to develop the first hybrid car but failed to do so, highlighting the importance of being aware of the information available and making the most of it (8m46s).

The Importance of Awareness and Embracing Change

• It is essential to reflect on the information available and make an effort to find the right answers to move forward, rather than just relying on the information available on one's smartphone (9m9s).
• The example of Internet in 1997, which was initially seen as a bubble by some, highlights the importance of being open to new technologies and innovations (9m16s).
• The early days of the internet were marked by instability and poor functionality, with users having to disconnect their phone lines to connect to the internet, as recalled from the speaker's childhood experience in Vicenza (9m28s).
• The rapid evolution of technology raises questions about the future of work, with the speaker asking if jobs will change or survive in 5-10 years, and emphasizing the importance of understanding and embracing change to avoid fear (9m56s).

The Rise of LLMs and Artificial Intelligence

• The latest revolution in technology is the emergence of Large Language Models (LLMs) and artificial intelligence, which has the potential to perform incredible tasks, such as animating old photos (10m21s).
• The speaker suggests that having the right tools and understanding of these technologies can help individuals adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing world (10m53s).
• Imagining life in 2054, the speaker encourages the audience to think about the tools and technologies that will be needed to navigate the future with confidence (11m15s).

LEGOs, Creativity, and Community in Sicily

• The speaker is testing a new approach to community and creativity in Sicily, using LEGO bricks as a tool for stimulating imagination and innovation (11m45s).
• A project at the Farm Cultural Park in Favara, a cultural center in a previously abandoned neighborhood, has shown the potential for creativity and innovation through hands-on workshops and activities (12m36s).
• The project includes a school of architecture for children, which encourages creativity and imagination through hands-on activities, such as designing and building houses (12m57s).
• The speaker emphasizes the importance of stimulating creativity and imagination in children, citing the example of a child named Pasquale, who was encouraged to design and build a house through a workshop (13m5s).
• The speaker believes that this approach can help individuals develop the skills and mindset needed to innovate and adapt in a rapidly changing world (13m29s).

New Perspectives and Creativity for the Future

• The future can be envisioned through different perspectives and creativity, allowing for new points of view to redesign a new future, as seen in the example of Corato, where the old town center can be seen in ruins or reimagined with fantasy and creativity (13m56s).
• In Corato, a community of young people from Puglia created the "Verso Sud" festival, which initially had low attendance, highlighting the challenge of attracting people to cultural events (14m12s).
• To promote cultural events, a different approach is needed, beyond just hiring a social media manager, as the current communication methods may not be effective in reaching a wider audience (14m27s).
• The algorithm of social media platforms like TikTok can make or break the success of a post, with only 3 seconds to capture the viewer's attention (14m47s).
• A creative approach to promoting events is needed, such as the "fake fine" idea, where a poem was placed in a fake parking ticket, which helped to promote the "Verso Sud" festival and made it a success (15m10s).

Promoting Pietra Persia and its People

• In Pietra Persia, a town in the heart of Sicily, the challenge is to encourage people to stay and invest in the local community, rather than leaving for better opportunities elsewhere (15m32s).
• To innovate and promote the town, a simple exercise was conducted, where citizens were asked to identify interesting places and people in Pietra Persia, using a map and colored markers (16m13s).
• The exercise revealed that the town had more to offer than just the usual tourist attractions, and that the people who lived there were also a valuable resource, with unique skills and talents (16m53s).
• The idea was to create a "museum of people" where the citizens' talents and skills could be showcased, using empty houses in the town as exhibition spaces (17m8s).
• To create a new plan for Pietra Persia, students from the local university were involved, who created "Plan Persia", a museum of people, where the citizens' talents and skills could be showcased (17m29s).
• The project aimed to promote innovation and creativity in the town, by involving the local community and showcasing their talents and skills (17m41s).

Innovation and Creativity in Sicilian Towns

• A project in Aidone brought people together to create a domotic "testa di moro" that connects to a smartphone, providing information on the plant's condition and needs, such as water or light (17m50s).
• Mario Pagliaro mentioned that in Sicily, extraordinary olive oil is produced, but the waste from the oil production process can be used to extract polyphenols, which are anticancer and useful for cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, and are completely biological (18m3s).
• A solar oven is used to dry herbs, preserving their organoleptic characteristics without burning any hydrocarbons (18m30s).
• An elderly man, Ciccio Liberto, was the first cobbler of Formula 1, and Porsche dedicated a commercial to him, showing that something beautiful can emerge from observing something old or ruined (18m50s).

Learning from the Past and Embracing Enthusiasm

• Maestro Manzi's approach to teaching people to read and write using the technology of the time, television, in the 1960s, is an example of utilizing existing resources to make a positive change (19m14s).
• The importance of changing one's mindset is emphasized, suggesting a shift from "speranza" (hope) to "entusiasmo" (enthusiasm), which means an uncontrollable drive to act and give one's all (19m39s).