Ten Years Without Manlio Sgalambro

Abstract

The article commemorates the tenth anniversary of the death of Manlio Sgalambro (1924–2014), one of the most original and radical voices of contemporary Italian thought. Philosopher, poet, aphorist, and lyricist, Sgalambro developed a lucidly pessimistic and anti-conformist worldview that challenged both academic philosophy and social conventions. His collaboration with Franco Battiato gave birth to an extraordinary fusion of philosophical reflection and musical expression, where irony and metaphysical  tension  coexist. The  study highlights  Sgalambro’s  aristocratic conception of thought, his critique of egalitarian mediocrity, and his defense of intellectual freedom and individuality against the mass. It also explores the dialogue between Sgalambro’s nihilistic philosophy and Battiato’s esoteric vision, showing how their collaboration produced a rare form of cultural syncretism that brought together Nietzschean lucidity, Cioranian pessimism, and Gurdjieffian metaphysics. The author emphasizes the continuing relevance of Sgalambro’s ideas as a voice of dissent and lucidity in an age increasingly dominated by superficiality and moral conformism.