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Portia's vices and virtues
Lloyd B Smith
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
It was Pope Gregory I in the 16th century who designated what have come to be known as the seven deadly or cardinal sins, namely, pride, avarice, lust, envy gluttony, wrath and sloth. On the other hand, the seven virtues are humility, liberality, chastity, kindness, abstinence, patience and diligence.
Lloyd B Smith
Just a cursory glance at these vices and virtues would indicate that very few human beings alive today could claim not to possess any of the above-mentioned vices, or to boast of having all the aforementioned virtues. Strangely enough, it would appear that many Jamaicans expect their political leaders to be so blessed with all the desirable virtues whilst being bereft of any such vices.
Just listening to the detractors of both PNP president Portia Simpson Miller and JLP Leader Bruce Golding, not to mention their admirers, one is led to believe that these two individuals should be akin to Jesus Christ in their everyday behaviour and utterances. Needless to say, the more rational among us should remind the less rational that in the final analysis these two leaders are human beings just like the rest of us, warts and all.
Of course, in many instances it is these leaders and their handlers who are to be blamed for much of this seeming deification. In this vein, for just about every diehard labourite, Bruce Golding is St Bruce, or for that matter, Bruce Almighty, while over in the PNP camp, Portia is the Chosen One, sent by God to save us lesser mortals. In all of this, God must have a great sense of humour. Otherwise, His wrath would have descended on us long ago.
Be that as it may, I wish to explore briefly in this article what are perceived as Portia's seven vices and virtues. In an ensuing article, I will also explore the vices and virtues of Bruce Golding. But in all of this, let us not forget that sometimes one's vice can turn out to be a virtue, or vice versa (no pun intended), especially in today's perverse and topsy-turvy world.
To begin with, Portia's charisma which can be seen as a true virtue has been portrayed as a vice by her enemies. They cast her in the bad light of being a "populist" who usually ends up becoming a despot. Then again, the wretched state of her constituency, being born on the wrong side of the track, her penchant for losing her cool and "tracing" off her opponents and critics, not paying attention to details, not being one of the boys and carrying PNP baggage ("not changing course") and not firing Phillip Paulwell, among others) may well be seen as her major vices.
Heading the list of Portia's virtues is also that which is seen by many as her chief vice - that of being charismatic and populist. Add to this her passion and vocal commitment to the poor, her penchant for hugging and kissing everybody, her unbridled self-confidence as a woman in a man's world, her unabashed claim to be God-sent and God-fearing, her being of and from the masses, plus the undisputed fact that she is a very attractive, statuesque and physically appealing woman - do these all add up to make her a virtuous woman? Others close to her may want to add that so far she has remained incorruptible and is not in anybody's pocket.
It is said that for one to survive in the cut and thrust of politics, one's vices must outdo one's virtues. In Portia's case, both her detractors and admirers will have to decide which one outweighs the other. Suffice it to say that it is my unrepentant view that the bar has been raised unusually high for Portia Simpson Miller simply because of her gender and because she comes from very humble beginnings, but has not decided to betray her class in order to become the darling of the upper middle class and so-called Jamaican elite.
This is but a brief exploration into what makes up the character and personality of Sister P. Next week, I shall take a similar look at Brother Bruce. Because when all is said and done, it is the question of leadership that is going to decide which party wins the 2007 general election. Like it or not, likeability continues to play a pivotal role in how voters make up their minds on election day. And in that context, the vices and virtues will no doubt take centrestage. What are your vices and virtues? Let me hope that one of your virtues is disagreeing with me without being disagreeable. Walk good.
gov_mobay@yahoo.co.uk
Lloyd B Smith
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
It was Pope Gregory I in the 16th century who designated what have come to be known as the seven deadly or cardinal sins, namely, pride, avarice, lust, envy gluttony, wrath and sloth. On the other hand, the seven virtues are humility, liberality, chastity, kindness, abstinence, patience and diligence.
Lloyd B SmithJust a cursory glance at these vices and virtues would indicate that very few human beings alive today could claim not to possess any of the above-mentioned vices, or to boast of having all the aforementioned virtues. Strangely enough, it would appear that many Jamaicans expect their political leaders to be so blessed with all the desirable virtues whilst being bereft of any such vices.
Just listening to the detractors of both PNP president Portia Simpson Miller and JLP Leader Bruce Golding, not to mention their admirers, one is led to believe that these two individuals should be akin to Jesus Christ in their everyday behaviour and utterances. Needless to say, the more rational among us should remind the less rational that in the final analysis these two leaders are human beings just like the rest of us, warts and all.
Of course, in many instances it is these leaders and their handlers who are to be blamed for much of this seeming deification. In this vein, for just about every diehard labourite, Bruce Golding is St Bruce, or for that matter, Bruce Almighty, while over in the PNP camp, Portia is the Chosen One, sent by God to save us lesser mortals. In all of this, God must have a great sense of humour. Otherwise, His wrath would have descended on us long ago.
Be that as it may, I wish to explore briefly in this article what are perceived as Portia's seven vices and virtues. In an ensuing article, I will also explore the vices and virtues of Bruce Golding. But in all of this, let us not forget that sometimes one's vice can turn out to be a virtue, or vice versa (no pun intended), especially in today's perverse and topsy-turvy world.
To begin with, Portia's charisma which can be seen as a true virtue has been portrayed as a vice by her enemies. They cast her in the bad light of being a "populist" who usually ends up becoming a despot. Then again, the wretched state of her constituency, being born on the wrong side of the track, her penchant for losing her cool and "tracing" off her opponents and critics, not paying attention to details, not being one of the boys and carrying PNP baggage ("not changing course") and not firing Phillip Paulwell, among others) may well be seen as her major vices.
Heading the list of Portia's virtues is also that which is seen by many as her chief vice - that of being charismatic and populist. Add to this her passion and vocal commitment to the poor, her penchant for hugging and kissing everybody, her unbridled self-confidence as a woman in a man's world, her unabashed claim to be God-sent and God-fearing, her being of and from the masses, plus the undisputed fact that she is a very attractive, statuesque and physically appealing woman - do these all add up to make her a virtuous woman? Others close to her may want to add that so far she has remained incorruptible and is not in anybody's pocket.
It is said that for one to survive in the cut and thrust of politics, one's vices must outdo one's virtues. In Portia's case, both her detractors and admirers will have to decide which one outweighs the other. Suffice it to say that it is my unrepentant view that the bar has been raised unusually high for Portia Simpson Miller simply because of her gender and because she comes from very humble beginnings, but has not decided to betray her class in order to become the darling of the upper middle class and so-called Jamaican elite.
This is but a brief exploration into what makes up the character and personality of Sister P. Next week, I shall take a similar look at Brother Bruce. Because when all is said and done, it is the question of leadership that is going to decide which party wins the 2007 general election. Like it or not, likeability continues to play a pivotal role in how voters make up their minds on election day. And in that context, the vices and virtues will no doubt take centrestage. What are your vices and virtues? Let me hope that one of your virtues is disagreeing with me without being disagreeable. Walk good.
gov_mobay@yahoo.co.uk
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