With the advent of the Internet and social media, reputations have become vulnerable, fragile and elusive, but are also an indispensable and ubiquitous tool to determine how others see us and also to guide us in our choice of doctors, websites or brands.
Gloria Origgi, an Italian philosopher based in Paris, is a senior researcher at the Institute Jean Nicod at the National Center for Scientific Research. Her previous books include one on trust and another on the future of writing. In her latest publication, “Reputation,” Origgi tries to explain why reputation is so important personally and socially, how it gets distorted and how it influences what others say about us.
To start with it was a conference on reputation organized in Rome in 2007 which aroused Origgi’s interest in the subject. Then, four years later, in 2011, she gave a seminar at the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences in Paris on the subject of reputation. During her stay at the Italian Academy for Advanced Studies at Columbia University in New York in 2013, Origgi wrote the first part of this book, which was originally published in French in 2015.
Although reputation is a subject that affects everyone, little has been written about it. However, the need for such a book is not the only reason why it was so rapidly translated in English and published. Origgi has written a compelling, original and thought-provoking book that sheds light on the complex process behind the formation of a reputation.
Origgi writes: “The book raises two fundamental philosophical questions about reputation. First, can reputation be considered a rational motivation for action? What drives us to defend, improve or repair our reputation? And second, can reputation be considered a rational justification in the acquisition of information?”
One of the reasons this book is so readable is due to the eclectic approach chosen by the author. Origgi’s multi-disciplinary method spans practically all the social sciences, including sociology, economics, anthropology, cognitive science and linguistics. She has also used a profusion of examples drawn from literature and real life.
To understand who we are and how we see ourselves being seen we need to know that all of us have two egos and two selves. One is our subjectivity, a central philosophical concept, which is related to consciousness, personhood, reality and truth. The other ego, or self, is our reputation. This social self exerts control to a surprising extent. It does not really belong to us, but it is the part of us that lives in others. It triggers strong feelings, such as shame, embarrassment, self-esteem, guilt and pride, which are deeply ingrained in our emotional experience.
According to the book, more than a third of the homicides committed in the US have minor causes and most crimes without serious motives are committed due to honor, pride and reputation. So why do we attach so much importance to the image that others have of us, a representation that exists only in their minds?
“This book,” writes Origgi, “explores the hidden logic of our double ego. Reputation itself is strikingly enigmatic. How a good name is gained or lost is often inexplicable. Why some reputations are considered good and others bad can be equally obscure.”
All famous people are conscious of their image and they are ready to pay image consultants exorbitant salaries to manipulate other people’s ideas. We all enjoy the feeling that we experience when we think that we have been appreciated for what we are truly worth. However, the relation between the image that we project of our self and our true self is highly complex.
“Reputation is a cloud of opinions that circulates according to its own laws, operating independently of the individual beliefs and intentions of those who hold and communicate the opinions in question,” explains Origgi.
Surprisingly little has been written on the communicative nature of reputation. And yet, there is a basic difference between a mere opinion and what we believe we should think of someone after we have heard the opinion of experts we respect. Most of our opinions are influenced by the opinions voiced by writers and thinkers that we respect. We often believe what we read in newspapers or magazines without checking whether that opinion is based on true facts because we trust the writer or it happens to be the only information available at the time.
The author gives an interesting example of a debate between Mitt Romney and Barak Obama during the 2012 US presidential campaign. She had not followed the debate but embraced her friends’ opinions who claimed that Obama had performed poorly. When she finally decided to watch the televised debate, she realized how unjust she had been. Obama was nowhere near as bad as she had described him. He was, on the contrary, “more skillful and precise than Romney.”
Origgi adds: “The question this raises is why it is so easy to internalize and echo the viewpoint of others, unthinkingly, even when important issues are at stake.”
Origgi also examines how the Internet and social media contribute to the creation of formal and informal reputations. Social life is the informational trace of who we are. All our interactions generate bits of socially shared information that accumulate gradually to define how we are seen…others will observe our actions as pieces of information that tell them something about us,” she writes.
Nowadays, we can build our social image through social media, personal webpages and Facebook profiles. All this social information about us follows us everywhere. The web empowers us with the possibility to control our identity. On the other hand, our image and our identity can be manipulated, even hijacked. “Our dynamically shape-shifting reputation” contributes to the development of human personality. “Without consciousness of the interdependence between me and my image in the eyes of others, between my actions and my reputation, I cannot understand either who I am or why I act,” concludes Origgi.
Thanks to the web, we play an active and participative role in the development of our human personality and the shaping of our reputation. It is an important takeaway in what has proven to be an eye-opening book.
Book Review: Understanding why reputations are so important
Book Review: Understanding why reputations are so important

What We Are Reading Today: ‘Paper: Paging Through History’

- Each papermaker refined their formula to allow ink to glide but not soak, creating sheets that were durable and portable
Author: Mark Kurlansky
“Paper: Paging Through History” by Mark Kurlansky, published in 2016, is a sweeping, detailed chronicle of how paper, arguably one of humanity’s most versatile inventions, traveled from its origins in ancient China across continents and centuries to reshape civilizations.
Kurlansky, an American journalist known for his deep dives into everyday materials, traces how humans moved from parchment and silk to mulberry bark and linen rags.
Oral narrators once carried knowledge across generations; paper allowed that information to outlive them.
Each papermaker refined their formula to allow ink to glide but not soak, creating sheets that were durable and portable.
The watermark, made from a simple wire design, left a faint imprint that branded the paper. That part was owned by the papermaker, not the paper mill, and customers began choosing paper based on those marks.
Paper was introduced to Europe by Arabs, who brought refined papermaking techniques to the continent. Europeans initially hesitated to adopt paper widely because oral tradition was the preferred way to share important stories; they felt that writing it down cheapened its value.
Over time, through trade and cultural contact in regions like Andalusia and along the Silk Road, paper gradually gained acceptance and became widely used.
Kurlansky delves into how the use of paper birthed various industries. It offered people with an entrepreneurial spirit the ability to make a living.
Papermakers changed the art world, too, with the introduction of special papers, such as watercolor paper.
Paper also shifted the world of journalism: Broadsheets, magazines, pamphlets, almanacs and, of course, books became more widely available at a lower cost. Yesterday’s newspaper would also be reused to line things like bird cages or to wrap food with.
It helped popularize things like playing cards, wrapping paper, wallpaper, paper fans, greeting cards and paper money, and lent itself to important medical, legal and political documents, such as the US Declaration of Independence.
“Paper: Paging Through History” was such a captivating read that I often paused to reflect, and I told everyone around me about the book. One moment that stood out was the 19th-century French campaign in which women were encouraged to donate their old handkerchiefs and linen to papermakers, as it might one day return to them in the form of a love letter.
Today, paper remains a vital medium where thoughts, plans, and dreams are recorded.
It might seem mundane, but in an increasingly digitized world, its ability to let a narrative stand the test of time is history itself, like this very book.
What We Are Reading Today: ‘Life’s Devices’ by Steven Vogel

Life on Earth is subject to the pull of gravity, the properties of air and water, and the behavior of diffusing molecules, yet such physical factors are constraints that drive evolution and offer untold opportunities to creatures of all sizes.
With an illuminating foreword by Rob Dunn, this Princeton Science Library edition of “Life’s Devices” includes examples from every major group of animals and plants along with illustrative problems and suggestions for experiments that require only common household materials.
What We Are Reading Today: Ridding the World of Landmines

- Afghanistan and Angola are two of the countries, among other nations, with a large number of landmines
Authors: Kjell Bjork
This book offers a study on how global treaties can be used to establish successful national programs concerned with mine action programs, focusing on the capacity of world governments to implement the convention on the prohibition of the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines.
Afghanistan and Angola are two of the countries, among other nations, with a large number of landmines.
This book sets out to answer the research considering the disparate levels of success among countries committed to implementing the Mine Ban Treaty, according to a review on goodreads.com.
What We Are Reading Today: ‘Laminar Flow Theory’

- The Navier-Stokes equations, first derived in the 18th century, serve as an accurate mathematical model with which to describe the flow of a broad class of real fluids
Author: P. A. LAGERSTORM
Fluid mechanics is one of the greatest accomplishments of classical physics.
The Navier-Stokes equations, first derived in the 18th century, serve as an accurate mathematical model with which to describe the flow of a broad class of real fluids.
Not only is the subject of interest to mathematicians and physicists, but it is also indispensable to mechanical, aeronautical, and chemical engineers, who have to apply the equations to real-world examples, such as the flow of air around an aircraft wing or the motion of liquid droplets in a suspension.
Saudi author brings stories closer to home

- Kendah Jambi has turned to local folklore and southern Saudi Arabia for her next novel
RIYADH: When Saudi writer Kendah Jambi released “The Epic of Frost” in 2024, she wrapped up a fantasy trilogy that had been nearly a decade in the making.
Spanning three titles published by Adab Book — “The Voyagers” (2021), “The Historian” (2023), and “The Epic of Frost” (2024) — the trilogy reflects a growing interest in Arabic speculative fiction and highlights her steady rise within the Kingdom’s evolving literary scene.
With the series complete, the 25-year-old has turned the page with a new project: “Khalil,” a standalone novel rooted in Saudi heritage and slated for release this year.

Reflecting on her journey, she told Arab News: “In comparison to when I first started, it has definitely become a lot easier to write and complete a novel in shorter amount of time.”
Her works have resonated with readers across Saudi Arabia who seek her out at the region’s various book fairs. Jambi said that she is touched by the kindness they express and their connection to her works. “I have young authors flooding my socials daily talking about how my work inspired them to write and stay persistent.”
HIGHLIGHTS
• Kendah Jambi’s ‘The Voyager’ fantasy trilogy gained momentum through its Manga Arabia adaptation.
• The writer’s next project ‘Khalil’ is a stand-alone novel rooted in Saudi heritage and slated for release this year.
• Her works have resonated with readers across Saudi Arabia who seek her out at the region’s various book fairs.
She added that her goal has always been “to make the world fall in love with the Arabic language.”

Her trilogy also gained momentum through its Manga Arabia adaptation, which Jambi said brought new attention to the original novels.
This, she said, brings the story full circle as “The Voyagers” was written originally to be a manga series and ended up becoming a novel.
Her advice to aspiring writers is grounded in experience: “Always chase what you believe in, no matter how long it takes. It took me seven years to write my first book, and I never regret taking my time,” she said.

While her earlier work leaned heavily into fantasy, her upcoming novel “Khalil” represents a shift in setting and tone.
“‘Khalil’ takes place in our modern-day Saudi Arabia across different regions. It reflects our heritage and traditions while being completely inspired by Arabian mythology,” she explained.
One such reimagining involves the folklore figure “Um Al-Saaf wa Al-Leef,” whom she described as “a witch who sits atop palm trees and eats children.”

In Jambi’s version, the character is still a deranged witch, but she does not eat children — instead, she has children named Al-Saaf and Al-Leef.
Jambi emphasized the importance of cultural accuracy in portraying southern Saudi characters, noting that her work “stays true to the people … I definitely made sure of that with help from friends native to that region.
“The characters are people whom Saudi readers can relate to as they hold similar values and have a familiar upbringing,” she added.
Explaining the shift from fantasy to a narrative more grounded in reality, Jambi said: “My pen is free and can go wherever it wants.”
She sees the current moment in Saudi Arabia as particularly significant for writers, with growing cultural initiatives under Vision 2030.
Maram Al-Samman, who read Jambi’s trilogy, told Arab News: “I see in Kendah Jambi a new and promising voice in Arabic fantasy literature … There are some moments that might lack narrative coherence, but her boldness in introducing new ideas and her creation of complex characters distinguish her work.”
Reflecting on her overall impression, Al-Samman added: “Personally, I believe her writing is worth reading, especially for those who enjoy novels that expand the imagination and open the door to deep thought.”
With the trilogy and her upcoming standalone novel sharing the same narrative universe, Jambi has created an expansive literary ecosystem where the fantastical and the familiar coexist.