Introduction: a world tilted toward aggression
Giuliano da Empoli argues that today’s world operates on a new kind of efficiency for aggressors. In his view, a “premium on aggression” has emerged, allowing predators to test and break rules at little to no cost. He points to both tangible and intangible battlegrounds: inexpensive drones that can devastate costly equipment, and cyberattacks or disinformation campaigns that disrupt democracies with minimal expense. This shift, he suggests, rewrites the calculus of power and makes rapid, often unpunished, moves more attractive for those who seek to destabilize the status quo.
The Predator advantage in the digital age
Da Empoli notes that in the military sphere, a drone program can alter outcomes far beyond its own price tag. A single drone purchase can threaten equipment that took decades and enormous budgets to build, illustrating how cheaply modern tools can undermine traditional military advantages. Beyond weapons, the information space has become a battlefield where campaigns of manipulation and disinformation carry almost no cost but potentially significant real-world consequences. In this environment, the cost of defection from norms is tiny, while the cost of defending against such moves remains substantial and uncertain.
From battlefield to cyberfront: the new economy of impact
The dynamic stretches into the political realm, where figures like the former president highlighted by da Empoli appear to redefine rules and taboos almost daily. Actions that would once provoke a detectable political price can now be tested and reversed with little consequence, creating a volatile feedback loop that rewards audacity and punishes deliberation. The result is a political ecosystem where momentum matters more than steady, principle-grounded strategy.
Transition to a digital frontier: the idea of a ‘digital Somalia’
Da Empoli uses a stark metaphor to describe the shift underway: the transition from a world governed by codified rules to a “Somalia digitale.” In his view, a digital age can resemble a state in collapse, where laws are supplanted by the law of the strongest, and where governance becomes an uneasy patchwork of power brokers rather than a stable, predictable framework. In this landscape, aggression—whether symbolic or physical—can gain legitimacy through its perceived immediacy and its apparent impossibility to be effectively stopped.
Hypnosis and the politics of surprise
The writer emphasizes a society that appears hypnotized by a relentless stream of shocking information. People are overwhelmed and pressed for time, making it difficult to decode what is truly happening. In this context, aggressive actors cultivate a sense of miraculous possibility—the belief that rules can be broken and immediate, tangible results can emerge, almost as if by magic. The perception that nothing substantial moves forward can coexist with the conviction that decisive, disruptive change is around the corner.
Democracies at risk and a call for courage
Da Empoli warns that liberal democracies and our public decision-making systems face real peril if they fail to adapt. The rapid tempo of aggressive tactics—whether in political messaging, cyber operations, or strategic misinformation—can erode trust, degrade accountability, and undermine long-term policy work. He argues for a different kind of resilience: a willingness to confront hard choices and to answer aggressive campaigns with deliberate, principled action. While he concedes sacrifices will be required, he believes societies do possess the means to counter these trends if they summon the necessary resolve.
What needs to change: a path forward
To counter the predator dynamics described, da Empoli suggests strengthening democratic institutions and civic literacy, investing in cyber defenses, and safeguarding independent media and fact-based public discourse. It is about improving the speed and quality of political and informational responses without surrendering core values. The goal is not to imitate aggression but to restore credibility, accountability, and trust in public life—so that the momentum generated by disruptive tactics does not overpower the rule of law and the common good.
Proposed responses include greater public awareness of information manipulation, robust digital governance, and a commitment to transparent decision-making. As da Empoli notes, courage will be essential to push back against the most disruptive forces, including those seen in the current political climate. Yet with deliberate effort, democracies can strengthen their resilience and preserve a stable, principled path forward.
Propos recueillis by Pietro Bugnon. Article by Julie Marty.
