Many people who appreciate Christian social teaching were shocked at the suggestion that the perception of poverty must be reduced. I was also surprised at this suggestion and on this I am in agreement with Bishop Mario Grech. Poverty must not be hidden under the carpet and the removal of evidence of indigence is a head-in-the-sand defence mechanism.
One cannot blame a spontaneous impression that the introduction of perception means the removal of reality. However, I heard arguments in favour of reduced reality. Some people say that reality in life is often unpleasant and, so, perception is justified as a kind of opium for the people or mass hysteria.
I have always heard government spokesmen in many countries declare that the opposition is “cut off from reality”. Read some European newspapers and you’ll find that all oppositions are cut off from reality. This means that various governments often provide a therapy for the dreaming of their adversaries and perhaps opposition treasurers should send a cheque for this therapy.
The “cut off” accusation would fit snugly into a La Fontaine fable and is also a convenient explanation as a point of departure and arrival when a government either does not have specific explanations or when it does not feel like seeking them for the purpose of counter attack.
It is good political strategy to spot a member of the opposition and yell at him “Hey, you are cut off from reality” just as a pre-emptive attack to reduce his ammunition while he is reflecting on your perception of reality.
Parties in opposition in many countries learn from parties in government and oppositions-turned-government will also say that governments-turned-opposition are cut off from reality. Politics is full of realities, lack of realities, genuine perceptions, artificial perceptions, illusions etc. That’s why it is entertaining, apart from the really poor called stupid for not realising that their poverty is a perception, a wealth that only looks like poverty, gold that looks like a cheap metal.
Sometimes I fear that governments using the counter-attack of perception may end up expressing it too often and, thus, with less conviction or, worse still, without conviction at all.
Social psychology and Aesop teach that, sometimes, a frequent accusation may result in the lack of distinction between accuser and accused, which may condition a governing party into believing that its actions are only a perception of actions.
Perceived deadlines
A friend who needed work done at home was regularly told “id-dieħla” (next week). Each deadline was ignored and the handyman was told to buzz off as his “dieħla w’ħierġa” (inbox and outbox) got on nerves. In my opinion, the handyman was not clever. He could have easily respected his deadline by promising his work would be ready in 2050.
Perception and the police
Some say about the police: “They are always roaming in my area.” Others say: “You never see them.” It’s a typical double-bind. In St Julians, the behaviour of some foreign students creates a bad perception of the civilised majority. The police in St Julians have suggested the creation of a student visa promoting rationality and financially discouraging wild boys and girls. It’s worth considering.
Meanwhile, some people are against police interference with nude bathing and some are in favour. When a report is made, the police’s personal opinion is not involved but what the law says.
Action requires facilities and one notes that the St Julians police station is too small and very few officers are stationed there, even if it is the busiest in Malta.
Some readers wondered if the police can examine a shark-bitten surf-board or sail, not realising that they are also in daily contact with different experts: medical, psychological, chemical, mechanical, linguistic etc. I think it’s an intelligent network.
Dance perception
At a dance performance at the Argotti Gardens some time ago, two persons had in front of them a lady who had spread her redhead like a grand fireworks display, allowing only a perception of choreography.
A gentleman in front of me was most kind. First of all, he was a short oval man. Besides, he came to see the choreography without the least hair on his head, risking a moon-stroke for me. I wish to buy this gentleman a ticket for all the events I attend so he would sit in front of me every time and allow me to see well.
Guido
Guido de Marco had asked me to help him improve his French. At L’Orangerie or Sliema, we chose a subject and discussed for an hour. Sometimes Violet, Giannella, Fiorella and Mario watched with the typical charming de Marco family smile. He loved the poor, respected his adversaries and recognised meritocracy. A rare man.
Dr Licari is reading for a second doctorate (political science) in Paris. His first was in psychosociological analysis of literature.