We ordinary people

Even today I am amazed, disturbed, irritated by the moralism of those who condemn without any understanding; of those who want to "clean up" the dishonest, believing themselves strictly out of the fray, of those who pose as savior of the homeland, without thinking about his mistakes of yesterday and today. Either he is naive, or he is mad, or he is in bad faith, or he is like the Pharisees of centuries ago.

The orgy of moralism towards others amazes me, when everyone in our private history can only find ourselves sinners. And I am amazed at the rigidity of the accusations, sanctions, penalties that are intended to be imposed on anyone who makes mistakes. As if man could not be wrong. And I am amazed by the culture that is asked of others, the professional ability that is asked of others, the commitment that is asked of others, without reservations, without the possibility of appeal, without accepting any stretch marks. Do I want the ruin of moral principles? Far from it. I would like the greatest principle, that of love, to prevail over revenge, to make our society more livable, more human, more corresponding to our real possibilities.

I believe that society that wants too much justice kills charity. If the Lord has given us a talent, he asks us for only one, and not five as the gifted must give him. I believe that society would have a great advantage in not entrusting without appeal responsibilities that no one can guarantee to be able to assume, because man cannot be sure that he is not making a mistake. And I believe that there would be more development and more order, that things would work better if we tried to overcome the rigid constraints of ever-proliferating regulations: regulations that end up suffocating instead of helping, destroying instead of building a more livable society. for everyone.

Giorgio Ceragioli
from "Progetto" (now "NP"), 1982, n. 2