Jean Girgis · 2010-04-20
They say honesty is comfort, and that whoever empties his heart carries a great weight off his shoulders. But here in Egypt — in your own country — forget it. It is like the many laws that have no place, like human rights and women’s rights, which people still misunderstand.
Honesty costs you. It is tiredness and a headache: you take what is inside you and distribute it to people in equal measure or more, multiplied by the number of people, so it increases rather than decreases. Even when the words were only inside you, they troubled you. The moment you act brave and speak, endure the consequences: everyone has a word that will turn it into a big issue, and things you never thought of.
In Egypt and countries like it, honesty means rudeness: “Shame on you,” “That is not acceptable,” “You crossed the line.” And more names than that are said to anyone who speaks.
Look around your community. How many people do not say what is inside them, even when it is true? How many hide things that should not be said, although they are sometimes said in the media?
A fact for the times: Egypt is one of the countries where people suffer most from psychological illness. I read a statistic saying about 68 percent of Egyptians need therapy. But thank God, we have nothing wrong. How could I go to a psychiatrist? Am I crazy? Everything is fine, thank God — not that I am against thanking God in every situation. We are fine.
Look at people’s faces and see the depression. People with two faces — and now three, with additions. The person inside is not the person outside, and everyone just lives.
All of this for a very simple reason: we are deeply missing honesty.
I am tired of all these people who carry something and cannot speak. Afraid of what? Why? You do not want to open up, you do not want to be hurt or upset. Believe me, honesty is more beautiful — at least the people around you will feel you. They may consider you rude.
Honesty is a hair’s breadth between truth and rudeness. So be careful.
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” — my friend Mena Alfons said this to me.