Gaslighting and Cultural Welfare: A Call for Institutional Leadership
The term "gaslighting" was named word of the year by Forbes Health in December 2022, reflecting a contemporary crisis of truth and manipulation. Drawing from the 1944 film "Gaslight" (Italian title: "Angoscia"), starring Ingrid Bergman, the article argues that cultural institutions must reclaim their role as vectors of truth, critical thought, and social cohesion. The author, founder of CCW (culturalwelfare.center), advocates for cultural welfare as a form of soft power, citing WHO reports that link culture to individual and collective development, social cohesion, and biopsychosocial health. Cultural enterprises must integrate sustainability and inclusion into their missions, moving beyond preservation to address contemporary challenges such as loss of discernment, confusion between technicality and abstract concepts, and the rise of reality distorters. The article calls for a new leadership rooted in history but open to innovation, fostering advocacy and governance that prioritize cultural production and future-oriented perspectives.
Key facts
- Gaslighting was named word of the year by Forbes Health in December 2022.
- The term originates from the 1944 film 'Gaslight' starring Ingrid Bergman.
- The author is founder of CCW (culturalwelfare.center).
- WHO reports show a positive relationship between culture and health.
- Cultural institutions must address welfare and sustainability.
- Reality distorters are as numerous as sports commentators during the World Cup.
- Cultural organizations should express a new leadership based on history, inclusion, and sustainability.
- The article was published on Artribune Magazine #70.
Entities
Artists
- Ingrid Bergman
Institutions
- Forbes Health
- CCW (culturalwelfare.center)
- WHO
- Artribune Magazine