Valley of Squinting Windows alive and well

Thinking Anew column in Saturay's Irish Times.
Today's Irish Times omitted the name of the writer of the Thinking Anew column.

By Michael Commane

Brinsley MacNamara’s novel ‘The Valley of the Squinting Windows’ tells of the power of gossip and public perception in a small Irish village. The book was published in 1918. The people in Delvin, Co Westmeath, realised that the characters in the novel were based on real people. They were not pleased and MacNamara suffered great opprobrium. His school teacher father, James Weldon, found himself without friends or pupils at his school. Dad emigrated and Brinsley never returned to Delvin.

That was another Ireland. Or was it? Do people change that easily or quickly?

Maybe I’m an exception but I certainly am interested in what people think or say about me. Indeed, I’d go so far as to say most people are interested and concerned what people might think about them. Ofcourse very wise and holy people may be above such earthly thoughts. I’m certainly not such a person. And I’m also nervous when someone tells me that they are not interested in what others think about them.

It’s easy to say we don’t care what people think about us. As children when our parents were protecting us from the nasty words of other children we heard the saying “sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me”.

It is also important that we see people for who they really are rather than for what they are. It’s always the person who counts and not all the accidents of life around her or him.

Come to think of it, it seems a lot of people are interested in what other people think and say. Just over two weeks ago the world learned that the US National Security Agency is spending much energy and money in finding out what other people are thinking, writing and saying. Whistleblower 29-year-old Edward Snowden, who worked for the NSA went public on how US security services are eavesdropping all over the world on what people are saying.

At the same time that Snowden told his story the trial is taking place in the US of Bradley Manning. He is the young US soldier who passed on US classified information to WikiLeaks.

Indeed, it might well be the case that we are all obsessed with what others think about us.

In tomorrow’s Gospel (Luke 9: 18 - 24) Jesus asks his disciples who people think he is. The disciples tell him that there are rumours about, that he is all sorts of people. But they know who he is and tell him.

Luke tells the reader that Jesus asked his disciples these questions just after he had spent some time in prayer.

We all like to have a good name. We want people to think well of us. Certainly we are never happy when people misunderstand us or get the wrong impression of who we actually are. But surely what’s most important is that people see us for who we are. If we are rogues, then let the world know. If we are good and honest people then we have a right to our good name. But what’s worst of all is when people say things about us that are not true, say things about us that make us out to be what we are not.

We are right to be concerned about what state security services do to garner information. What should and should not be done needs to be discussed in the public forum. That’s part of what the word ‘democracy’ means.

Jesus was always interested in the truth. If Brinsley MacNamara was telling the truth why should the villagers have taken offence?

One way or another, people are interested in what others think about them. So much damage and hatred is caused by people thinking badly of others. And how crazy it is when people take up hostile positions without considering the underlying facts, often facts which should arouse compassion and understanding.

Jesus loves us for who we are. God is interested in the real person. It makes sense to see people actually for who they are. It can be exciting too.