Daron Acemoglu, Chris Bangle and Michele De Lucchi awarded the Ethic Award at the Oscar Pomilio Blumm Forum 'Happy Chaos? Rethinking Ethics in an Age of Global Change'
The Forum awarded Daron Acemoglu, Chris Bangle, and Michele De Lucchi with the 2025 Ethic Award, in recognition of the ethical value of their contribution to society: individuals who, through research, design, and creativity, have expressed an original, deeply civic vision — capable of pointing to new directions.
'With this Forum, we wanted to explore the fractures of our time through the lens of three visionary minds,' said Franco Pomilio, President of Pomilio Blumm. 'The extraordinary participation and high level of debate confirmed that ethics can—and must—be the driving force behind innovation and global citizenship.'
Daron Acemoglu: 'AI must empower people, not replace them'
The Forum opened with Daron Acemoglu, Nobel Prize winner for Economics in 2024, professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and author of the landmark book
Why Nations Fail
, which argues that it is institutions—not geography or culture—that determine the prosperity or decline of nations.
In his keynote, Professor Acemoglu focused on the concept of 'Remaking Liberalism', that is also the main topic of a book he is working on, and he warned of the dangers of artificial intelligence designed to replace human labor: 'The current model reinforces the power of elites and increases inequality. We need technology that is built to democratize opportunity.' He called for a new social contract to guide digital development: 'We can build tools that assist teachers, doctors, artisans, and citizens—but it requires democratic rules and long-term vision.'
Chris Bangle: 'Design is pulling us away from ourselves'
Next to speak was Chris Bangle, the American designer who transformed the aesthetics of BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, and is considered one of the most influential creatives of our time.
Bangle offered a provocative reflection: 'We have built a world where good design means hiding the human hand. But this paradigm is consuming us.' He criticized the impersonal, algorithm-driven aesthetic, stating: 'The meaning of an object lies not only in its form or function, but in the human input behind it. If perfection is inhuman, then imperfection can become value.'
Michele De Lucchi: 'Every project is an equation—and the unknown variable is humanity'
The Forum concluded with Michele De Lucchi, the renowned Italian architect and designer, founder of AMDL CIRCLE, creator of the iconic Tolomeo lamp and of numerous international architectural projects.
'Today, architecture must be conceived as an environmental installation capable of responding to the unpredictable changes triggered by human beings,' he explained, presenting his personal 'equation' of design. De Lucchi reminded the audience that the role of the designer is not only to shape objects, but also to inspire behaviors, desires, and collective imagination.
'We can no longer design for eternity in a world that is changing so rapidly,' he stated. 'Architecture must be reimagined as something adaptable, sustainable, and deeply human.'
Attachment
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
6 hours ago
- Washington Post
Firing the BLS commissioner will come back to haunt Trump
N. Gregory Mankiw, a professor of economics at Harvard University, was chair of the Council of Economic Advisers under President George W. Bush. Cecilia Rouse, president of the Brookings Institution, was CEA chair under President Joe Biden. We are both former chairs of the Council of Economic Advisers. In that capacity, our responsibility was to offer the president objective economic advice using the best available data. We used the data collected by government agencies to understand employment trends; to judge changes in the pace of economic activity; and to gauge whether inflation was under control. At times, the data did not paint the picture the president might have wanted. But we were always confident they were collected using the best available methods and analyzed by a dedicated, nonpartisan staff. Politicizing those federal statistics and questioning the integrity of those who produce them — as President Donald Trump did last week when he fired the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics after the monthly employment report came in weaker than expected — is likely to come back to haunt the administration. It compromises the ability of policymakers in the executive branch, Congress and the Federal Reserve to properly analyze the state of the economy and develop the best policies to ensure prosperity. While no single piece of economic data is dispositive in a leader's decision-making, each must be as accurate as possible to help guide their decisions. Recognizing this need, the federal government has over time created 13 statistical agencies. The BLS is one of the oldest, created in 1884 to collect data on many aspects of the economy, including the monthly employment report and retail and wholesale prices. Today, government and business leaders throughout the economy rely on this information to make sound decisions. These statistics shed light on the state of the labor market, trends and opportunities in business investment, and the size and health of our population. The collection and analysis of federal statistics is complex. Often, the first numbers produced are revised as more information is gathered. And sometimes the revisions are quite large. This can lead to questions about the process, so it is crucial that the users of the data (which is really all of us!) trust that those collecting and analyzing these statistics are not swayed by politics. After all, if data are only considered 'good' when they support a particular politician's worldview and 'bad' when they do not, why should anyone believe them? And if we don't believe them, we know less about what is happening in the economy. Economists such as Nicholas Bloom at Stanford University have documented that uncertainty about economic prospects and policy reduces economic growth. Further, Nobel Prize winners Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson and James Robinson have identified the strength of a nation's institutions as a source of economic growth. We have little doubt that part of the success of the U.S. economy over the past century is due to its strong and independent federal statistical agencies, which generate the kind of information leaders need to make smart decisions. Federal statistics may seem like an arcane topic that interests only econ wonks like us. But the truth is that these statistical agencies have made it possible for business leaders and policymakers alike to analyze credible data and plan for the future. And that is something everyone should care about. Politicians spin — it is what they do. But when their spin undermines the integrity of the numbers we have come to rely on, the consequences are real. We will all pay the price.
CNN
a day ago
- CNN
‘Banana republic stuff': Top economists react to Trump firing BLS statistics chief
Nobel prize-winning economist Paul Krugman and former economic adviser to President George W. Bush Greg Mankiw talk to Bianna Golodryga about Trump falsely claiming the most recent jobs numbers were rigged.
Forbes
a day ago
- Forbes
How To Decode A College Website Like An Admissions Insider
For students deciding between colleges, university websites can offer crucial insight into academics, campus culture, and admissions priorities. getty In 2025, a polished college homepage can look like a luxury ad campaign. But behind the curated messaging, universities are sending signals about politics, priorities, and pedagogy. For families navigating an increasingly competitive college admissions landscape, knowing how to read between the lines isn't just smart—it's essential. As a long-time college admissions counselor and academic, I've spent years decoding what colleges choose to highlight, downplay, or quietly omit. Here's how prospective students and their families can do the same. Every school says they offer 'rigorous academics' and 'exceptional faculty.' But what's actually happening in the classroom? And how easy will it be for your student to secure research or pursue their intended major? Dig into department pages, especially in majors your student is considering. Look beyond course lists and faculty bios to see how undergraduates actually engage with the department. Dartmouth Engineering, for instance, showcases its First-Year Research in Engineering Experience (FYREE) program, which offers hands-on research and mentorship opportunities to first-year students. Opportunities like this signal a real commitment to undergraduate teaching and early academic involvement. On the other hand, some departments at top schools may emphasize faculty research, but make it difficult to determine how (or whether) undergraduates participate. For instance, Columbia University's physics department page highlights Nobel Prize-winning faculty, but offers limited insight into whether undergraduates engage meaningfully in research. Even at MIT, many introductory courses are taught by lecturers or graduate students rather than tenured professors, and research opportunities, while abundant, often require initiative to secure. If your student is interested in business, it's especially important to dig into the details. UVA's McIntire School of Commerce, for example, requires students to apply in the spring of their first year of classes, and admission is highly competitive. The University of Michigan, Ross has a preferred admission pathway for first-year applicants, but many students still go through a rigorous internal transfer process after their first year. Even within liberal arts disciplines, be aware of hidden gatekeeping. Yale requires competitive applications to enter selective majors like architecture, global affairs, or cognitive science, and Northwestern has limited spots in its journalism and musical theatre certificate program, which require pre-enrollment auditions or portfolios. Columbia is unapologetically structured. Its famed Core Curriculum is central to its identity and required of all undergraduates, covering everything from Literature Humanities to Contemporary Civilization. The University of Chicago is similarly rigorous, with a Core that makes up about one-third of a student's coursework, emphasizing a classical liberal arts foundation across disciplines. On the other end of the spectrum, Brown offers a fully open curriculum, encouraging students to forge their own path with virtually no general education requirements. Amherst College and Wesleyan University take a similar approach: no core, no distribution requirements. Instead, they trust students to build a personalized academic experience with the support of faculty advisors. Many schools fall somewhere in the middle. At Stanford, students complete a flexible set of general education requirements under the Ways of Thinking/Ways of Doing framework, allowing for broad exploration. Duke has distribution requirements across several areas (humanistic inquiry, investigating the natural world, etc.) but allows students to choose from hundreds of courses to fulfill them. These models appeal to different types of learners. On a website, they may sound equally positive—phrased as 'intellectual exploration' or 'a common academic journey'—but they create vastly different student experiences. If your teen thrives with structure, or seeks freedom, pay close attention to what's under the hood. 3. Check the Student Newspaper, Not Just Campus Life Pages The glossy 'Student Life' tab will tell you what the college wants you to see, but the student newspaper will tell you what students are actually talking about. The Stanford Daily covered tensions around free speech policies in 2024, including restrictions on protest zones and ID requirements, as well as critiques that only 'pleasant' speech is protected. At Yale, the campus climate has come under scrutiny following a 'D' grade from the Anti-Defamation League for incidents of antisemitism linked to protests, and a student group lawsuit about punitive mental health leave policies. At the University of Pennsylvania, The Daily Pennsylvanian has reported on rising tensions between student groups and administration over diversity initiatives, the university's protection of international students, and protest policies, while at Harvard, The Crimson has published multiple pieces exploring the fallout from the university's leadership controversies and donor influence, as well as growing divides over campus speech, amplified by Harvard's high-profile clash with the Trump administration. These stories reveal the real campus dynamics and offer a far more honest view than a brochure ever could. 4. Look Closely at What's Changing—and What's Missing In 2025, leadership changes at top universities have become a window into broader cultural and political pressures. At the University of Virginia, President Jim Ryan, a well-respected leader who served in this post since 2018, announced his resignation following a federal investigation into UVA's DEI programs. In an emotional campus-wide message, Ryan explained that while he remained committed to diversity as essential to institutional excellence, he could not, in good conscience, risk the financial aid, research funding, and visa status of students and faculty by staying on and fighting a politically charged battle with the federal government. The resignation, made despite a successful capital campaign and the near-completion of the university's strategic plan, was a sobering reminder that even well-established, accomplished presidents can be forced out under political pressure. Meanwhile, at MIT, President Sally Kornbluth oversaw the closure of the Institute Community and Equity Office in May, a move framed as streamlining but widely seen as part of a broader rollback of DEI infrastructure. In the UC system, Regents chair Janet Reilly announced in March that diversity statements would no longer be required in faculty hiring, an anticipatory shift made 'while the University has no systemwide policies,' but aligned with increasing federal scrutiny. In 2025, these shifts reflect deeper values: intellectual meritocracy, social mission, institutional boldness, or risk aversion. As prospective students track public statements by university officials, they should ask: What values does the university leadership stand for, and are those aligned with my own? 5. Investigate Mental Health and Career Support Two of the most overlooked, but revealing, sections on a college website are counseling services and career development. What are the wait times for mental health support? Does the school offer short-term therapy only, or long-term care coordination? Princeton's health services website, for example, outlines a comprehensive step-by-step guide to therapy referrals and even Peer Health Advisors, showing a real commitment to student well-being. Career offices can be equally telling. Some schools emphasize support for first-gen students or internship funding for unpaid opportunities, suggesting they're attuned to equity and access. Others are more transactional, focusing only on outcomes and job placement stats. Final Thoughts A college's website will never tell you the whole story. As schools quietly revise DEI language, reinstate testing policies, and debate academic freedom, the stakes for college applicants and their families have never been higher. Understanding what a school truly values, beyond prestige, can help your student find a place where they'll thrive.
