Fabio Severino on Quarantine: Reading, Reflection, and Rediscovery

Fabio Severino, a cultural manager with an MBA and PhD in marketing, shares his experience of lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy. Normally traveling three days a week by plane or high-speed train, Severino now finds himself confined at home in Milan. He describes the challenge of adapting his hyperactive lifestyle to immobility, but notes he is winning the bet. He spends his time reading extensively on religion, philosophy, history, and economics, having abandoned literature for non-fiction and theory. He enjoys a terrace with direct sunlight, which he credits for his survival. Severino reflects on the crisis as an opportunity for introspection, recognizing the superfluous and seeking balance. He remains optimistic, believing that even an empty glass is partly full due to human energy and determination. He anticipates new, rigorous habits for months ahead, viewing the crisis as both an experience and an opportunity to invent new work and find meaning. The article is part of a series of letters from intellectuals during quarantine, initiated by Artribune.