Pensare in cerchio | Mattia Cabrini | TEDxCremona

Quick Overview

Mattia Cabrini argues that while humans instinctively seek the perfection and reassurance of the circle, true human growth and evolution occur when moving beyond this closed form into the open-ended, questioning nature of the spiral, often facilitated through the vulnerability and connection found in theater.

Key Points: The circle, despite being an artificial human invention not common in nature, symbolizes perfection, fidelity, and completeness, organizing life cycles, religious iconography (mandala, aureola), and even modern commercial logos. The Greeks avoided strictly circular or linear arrangements on stage (skenè) because 'le righe appiattiscono e i cerchi escludono,' always leaving an opening to the outside world. Research by Yassin Amami and Marie Almaric shows that people, including brilliant minds, frequently make mistakes when solving problems involving circles because the brain shuts down reasoning, preferring the intuition associated with the complete circle. Cabrini posits that we think in circles because it is an economical thought process, but this tendency keeps us stagnant; 'Pensare in cerchio è il modo più elegante per restare fermi.' Knowledge is not a circle but a spiral, which incorporates variation and novelty; 'l'errore diventa la forma dell'evoluzione e l'evoluzione è qualcosa di originale.' To break the circle, Cabrini conducts an exercise asking the audience to find their reflection first in their dark phone screen and then in the person opposite them, emphasizing the need to 'reggete lo specchio alla natura' for self-recognition and potential. The ultimate goal is moving from 'io' toward 'tu' to construct a 'noi' through a process of trial and error, as 'solo sbagliando si crea qualcosa di nuovo.'

Context: Mattia Cabrini delivers a TEDx talk titled 'Pensare in cerchio' (Thinking in a Circle) where he explores the symbolic and psychological power of the circle versus the necessity of embracing the imperfect, open structure of the spiral for genuine human development and creativity. He grounds his philosophical discussion in common human experiences, ancient theatre practices, and recent psychological research regarding geometric perception.