To be yourself in today’s world, which is constantly trying to make you something else, is our greatest accomplishment. Every human being has dignity, a gift given to everyone by God. Man is free to choose how he lives, behaves, organises his life, controls what he says, how he sees things around him.
However, he must also respect himself and others since he belongs to a social community. Robert Greene wrote: “The human tongue is a beast that very few can master. It strains constantly to break out of the cage, and, if it is not tamed, it will turn wild and cause you grief.
” Sartre advised: “Give, but don’t allow yourself to be used. Love, but don’t allow your heart to be abused. Trust, but don’t be naive or lose your own voice.
” Do not allow yourself to be used, the French philosopher cautions. However, abuse today is a very big problem. People think they can do whatever they want, even abusing the dignity of others, treating them with cruelty and violence, regularly and repeatedly.
We forget that the beauty of living is a great gift given to us by God, even though, many times, we do not deserve it because of how we live our life. An anthropologist was recently quoted in the media as saying: “Catholicism no longer features in the Maltese identity in practice.” A man without God and faith can do horrible things.
He loses his dignity as a human being and becomes a slave of money, of power and of his possessions. His hidden intentions and his weaknesses are the motives that drive him on. There is then abuse of power, which is very common in Malta and Gozo.
There is no respect or etiquette for the dignity of others, of citizens or the powerless. People rule over you: workers over their colleagues, husbands over their wives, parents over their children. Ddomestic violence and sexual abuse are obnoxious.
Abuse causes harm and distress to others. This can, in turn, lead to mental stress and disorder. Some people who are in a special and intimate relationship take advantage and exercise abuse: they are constantly on the attack.
One of their preferred weapons is to instil in you doubts about yourself, your worth, your abilities and your potential. Psychological and emotional abuse are employed by those who behave in a cruel and violent manner. We need to stop, reflect and decide to help each other to change our horrible attitudes.
A heartless person is like a monster with no feelings, no values, no control, no dignity, no respect towards others. Our behaviour identifies who we are. That is why I strongly believe the responsibility of imparting education rests not just on schools but also on parents and the Church.
They are to teach, educate, guide, instruct and, together, organise and build a better and cleaner Malta and Gozo. The social media, TV and films, which condition us and enslave us, can also constitute abuse. The worst thing that can happen is that children are abused by the misinformation dished out by the media.
Bertolt Brecht wrote: “Those who don’t recognise the truth are fools but those who recognise the truth and deny it or call it a lie are criminals.” “The world suffers a lot. Not because of the violence of bad people but because of the silence of good people.
” That’s Napoleon Bonaparte speaking. In our life, we can transmit to others what we harbour in our minds and in our hearts. We are like books, some people see the cover, some read the introduction but few will bother to go through its the contents and enjoy the message.
In conclusion, I quote prophet Ezekiel: “I will give you a new heart and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezk:36:26). That is precisely what we need to do.
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