Civilisation at street level

This is not about organising one's life the way one desires until the civil right of divorce is recognised in Malta but more on living together as citizens sharing common spaces.

With Malta being increasingly choked by immigration and car importation, with people wishing to breathe better - physically and psychologically - it is good to consider ways of inter-personal civilisation. This is also promoted by teachers' organisations in Malta and beyond.

Reading court news, using your eyes and speaking to friends will make you realise that street-level civilisation in Malta is not one of the most refined everywhere. Skirmishes abound in the way citizens try to solve their space problems. Space may be material, auditory, olfactory and psychological. Invasion of one of these spaces results in harassment of the person as citizen and neighbour.

Let us start with noise. I have no problem energetically condemning maniac bell-ringing, which promotes the desire in tranquil, peace-loving citizens to practise neck-wringing of the bell-ringers. Bell-ringing may be most enjoyable for some.

These some, however, need not thrust their clanging hobby into the auditory orifice of those who do not get excited at the clash of metal with metal.

The other type of cochlear victimisation is of a musical nature. Some citizens organise noisy roof parties and transmit the message to the uninvited that they are extraverted and practise savoir vivre. Other citizens send musical messages to neighbours through the medium of the musical machine - which could be a radio, television or any other apparatus with large speakers. Hear ye, I have music!

Bite my dust

I have seen secret agents with a 007 number-plate roaming our streets and inviting victims of gang-crime and international misbehaviour to feel secure in their presence. It makes one feel better. I have also seen cowboys forsaking their cows and driving cars. Abandoning the effect of their bovine companions on the ozone layer, they replace gas by dust (as we all have to, alas!) and invite drivers behind them to "bite my dust". Very civilised, of course.

There is also the neighbourly habit of inviting persons to bite one's smell. Street smells may abound as messages hurled at others. The cat-smell example comes to mind. Some civilised citizens keep cats at home in a healthy, spotless condition. Others breed cats outside their houses and spread manure smells all over the street. I have never understood what's attractive in animal manure solidly and fluidly established in a street. Education is meant to improve this mentality.

Animals

Various types of pet hospitality exist. It is a pleasure to visit homes with friendly pets including cats, dogs, fish and birds. Some homes also have exotic animals. Some people love Arachnida - home-loving tranquil beasts. Others prefer noisy animals barking all day.

A few have a pseudo-Archaeopteryx screaming like in a film about very primitive times. It's an exercise in back to basics.

The most communicative of bird lovers are those who rear pigeons who leave their presence on the washing of hard-working ladies hanging on the roof (the washing, not the ladies). Some dog lovers also invite their Fidos to contribute artistically to street pavements. Some of these owners also have a good education.

Home-to-street links

Some people are reclusive and hardly ever seen or heard. The most extraverted types contribute to the civilisation of the street. Sometimes they spit out of windows or from balconies. Sometimes they eject cigarette ends and at other times they actually wash balconies by sweeping off dirty water onto private or public areas. Some more prudent persons only dump flower-pot watering on passers-by. I have even heard people communicate with the street vocally by screaming at their kids all day, using all kinds of unkind words. It's their link with the Archaeopteryx.

Common areas

These may provide volumes of anecdotes. I have heard about persons in blocks of flats who share a roof with others but they have their dog there. Others hang their washing in spaces that belong to everyone and this drips onto all the neighbours. But the best examples of common area misuse are related to objects left there. Some people leave brooms, mops, buckets, old furniture, ladders, shoes near their flat doors (no pun intended) as a permanent exhibition of non-conformist art. Others use common areas as boisterous playgrounds.

PS: Gaffelettes?

One government website declares that an employee has a Dip. Councelling (sic). I also came across a librarian whose courtesy knocked me out. Some parents place children's books in their child's hands without realising that it's actually a horror story. Rousseau was right in promoting positive experiences for kids.

Dr Licari teaches psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics and geolinguistics at the Department of French of the University of Malta.