Inside the castle or out?

Certain incidents are identified in public surveys as “collateral damage.” They are not interpreted as shifts in public opinion, as is the case with party preference or voting intentions or the evaluation of the performance of the government and the opposition. Such incidents have a negative effect on what we usually call the “surrounding atmosphere.” They can be seen as impacting on people’s trust in values and institutions, but they are not as easy to point a figure at as the wiretapping scandal or the case of Andreas Patsis, a conservative MP who was recently booted from ruling New Democracy’s parliamentary group over discrepancies in his provenance of wealth declaration.

Revelations about the Ark of the World (Kivotos tou Kosmou) children’s charity came like like an earthquake. It would be premature to estimate its precise magnitude. The violent de-investment in an organization which was, until recently, believed to do excellent work in providing accommodation to abused children and mothers, doesn’t come without cost. It’s like a pillar (genuine or symbolic, depending on the case) is coming apart. Can there be social cohesion without trust? There are only a few things that keep our communities glued together: the people and the structures that enjoy universal acceptance, which perform a universally recognized role, without asterisks. And when these get debunked, revealing a different, dark side, then the damage is never local.

The disappointment, always willfully amplified by the media and social media, makes it more difficult to conduct an objective assessment. It does not help heal a wound which is inflicted even if this incident does not seem to directly affect us in the way that that other things do, such as the economy, energy or employment.

Moral shocks are slow-burning. Hypocrisy and fraud coming from people “beyond suspicion” come as a very strong shock. They are very hard to digest and leave a stain on many aspects
of public life.

A recent poll by Metron Analysis contained a rather unusual question: “Let’s imagine the world as a city protected by a castle surrounded by a desert. There are people who are protected behind the walls of the castle and people outside of it. Where would you place yourself? Inside or outside the castle?” Fifty-two percent of respondents said “outside” the castle, while 45 percent said “inside.” In other words, those who feel that they have been “left out of the game” or unprotected are the majority.

Does this feeling only hinge on the economy? Do the holes in the hull of an ark only affect those on board?