Greatly appreciated, Min Weber. I understand your comment and acknowledge your main point.

However, I was merely attempting to point out the ground rules of Daphne’s blog,

I also admit that, after 20 years enjoying this wondrous land, I am terribly amiss at not learning Maltese.

I believe that the dictation would have been to Fr. Peter’s secretary, probably Margaret, rather than to Debono himself. Fr. Peter could not have relied on Debono to reproduce exactly what was intended by Fr. Peter.

I believe that the “errors” were intentional plants by Fr. Peter, most likely, given what I had understood of his intent. The rest of the note is perfect as it was intended.

Whether or not Debono was involved in the preparation of the note, as an alternative explanation, would depend upon Debono for one source of confirmation. The “errors” do appear as what one might expect from Debono.

Margaret Zammit would be the other likely more relevant source for confirmation. I am a weaker source, because although Fr. Peter discussed his intentions with me, I can confirm only some the generalities we discussed.

It is (highly) probable that the planted “errors” were part of the specific strategy Fr. Peter had discussed with me; but only the generalities of aspects of the stategy are still clear enought for me to remember, for me to recall details of the event.

I agree with most of what Edward Clemmer has written, except where he speculates about voluntary mistakes made by Fr Peter.

It is common knowledge that owing to problems with his eyesight, Fr Peter rarely typed anything himself and usually limited himself to dictating.

This must mean that he dictated the whole thing to Debono himself, and it was Debono who wrote “inside” (instead of “insight”) and the other silly things that the piece is replete with.

Conclusion: Debono’s IQ is much, much lower than we might have guessed.

Reasons why:

1. He didn’t even realize that PSI was employing hyperbole, so that the sum-total is the exact opposite of the constitutive elements. (A bit like these codes Baxxter and I have been whiling our time away at, the code hidden in the first letter of each line is usually the exact opposite of the words of the message).

2. He didn’t understand simple words like “insight” etc. “Postcript” is Debono’s inability to type properly (because he’s in a hurry etc etc).

Very, very sad.

Postscript

I can confirm that (most likely it was in September 2011, as I now recall), when I had visited Fr. Peter at Dar il-Kleru regarding his participation in my own November 2011 book launch.

Without Fr. Peter’s mentioning then whom he was referring to, he discreetly indicated to me (as a friend and as one who would understand) that at that very moment he had decided upon a solution, which details he then only partially hinted to me, for his dealing with a particularly sensitive request, because it involved a particular (undisclosed to me) public personality.

Only now, a year later, did it become evident to me whom Fr. Peter then had meant, and how with evident (upon reflection) satire, Fr. Peter brilliantly conducted himself so as to remain in the truth, but according to plan he was too subtle for some (or for the essential one or for the several undiscerning) to perceive the truth of Fr. Peter’s view.

For the full text of Fr. Peter’s note, we all may refer to his exquisite contribution in its satirical entirety, which eventually did achieve its intended purpose, for those clear-headed and attentive enough to realize it:

http://www.francodebono.com/2012/09/19/haiku-note-to-my-haiku-book-by-rev-profs-peter-serracino-inglott/

As Franco Debono notes in his blog comments on the post, the note is from “one of the leading minds of Malta”, and so it was, and as it was meant to be read, with a critical wink from Fr. Peter.

Further to popular request, unequivocally insisting on
our return to stage to continue with this
routine of ours, which would really
seem to have captured our fans’
imagination, should we oblige
?

Looking at the public support, I say we should carry on with this.
Entertainment is our business.

My opinion regarding the “Note to Postcript” [sic] for Franco Debono’s collection of haiku, Almond Blossoms, is that it is genuinely Fr. Peter Serracino Inglott’s. However, it is equally apparent (to me) that Fr. Peter has pulled a fast one (another case) on Franco Debono.

In fact, Fr. Peter is being satirical in his contrived analysis. The Terence Portelli “anthology” referenced in the opening line is “Bil-Hajku Nsellimlek: Mill-Gappun ghal Malta u lura” (published on 22 May 2011), a small collection of haiku from many contributors, constructed for the benefit of the Red Cross in aide of Japan. So, the “Note to Postcript” [sic, intentionally misspelled] was penned after that date.

The concluding reference to the philosopher Sir Michael Dummet, as a logical positivist concerned about the philosophy of language, would have been well-known to Fr. Peter’s concerns about the nature of language [an interest that he and I professionally shared, myself as a psychologist]. Sir Dummet’s works include: The Logical Basis of Metaphysics (1991) and Thought and Reality (2006), and we may appropriately presume that all of these issues are problematic in the writing and thought of Franco Debono. Sir Dummet provided a critique of “realism” and concluded that whether a given thought expressed was “true” or “false” was problematical. Indeed, this is certainly true regarding the expressed thoughts of Franco Debono.

In his first paragraph, Fr. Peter has written, “many in Malta, especially poet-politicians have deluded themselves….” And in the beginning of his second paragraph, “Franco Debono is one of the rare exceptions.” Yes, so rare in fact, he “contrives to produce what it is tempting to call a mega-Haiku effect.” The verb “contrives” was carefully selected. The final [appropriately pseudo-intellectually stated] sentence of Fr. Peter’s second paragraph concludes, “that, however yields inside [sic] into some timeless metaphysical truth.” The error, “inside” for “insight” was an intentional slip, likely to be overlooked by Debono, as self-absorbed as he might be to miss the detail, “caught in the cyclical repetitiveness of [his] nature.”

In Fr. Peter’s third paragraph, he returns to Debono’s “idiosyncratic instances of language and mental models” [we might add, clearly disjointed regarding the falsification or verification of reality]. Fr. Peter detects “a subtler enactment of deeper cyclicity as well as of the infinite-looking biographical variant of the universal eros-thanatos battle of the giants at the unconcsious level of human life.” Fr. Peter was not Freudian, but he certainly refers to the life-death instincts battling themselves out within the psyche of the “giant” Debono, albeit at an unconscious level.

Fr. Peter’s fourth, and penultimate paragraph, is pure satire, especially, “cosmic-mystical communion emerges as the quasi-political ground for holding the Haiku form as a higher literary genre than even the equations used in scientific theories.” Einstein and nuclear physicists beware: Dobono’s haiku takes the “cosmic-mystical” cake, even at its “quasi-political” level.

The key phrase in Fr. Peter’s concluding paragraph was, “And I am amazed at the conviction with which Dr. Debono provides.” Yes, aren’t we all, except perhaps for the Labour camp in political opposition: no variation from their world views.

Fr. Peter concludes with his last two words, “sadly misleading.”

This is how Fr. Peter dealt with our Capon, just as others now are equally taking the mickey out on Debono.

Dan il-blog mhuwa xejn minghajrhom! Napprezza hafna li qed jiktbu bil-Malti ghax qed jaghtu widen ta’ dak il-politku Malti tal-Moviment Gdid li ghandu ismu Taljan, jibghat it-tifel fi skola privata fejn jithaddtu bl-Ingliz u ma jaghrafx id-differenza bejn ilsien nazzjonali u ufficjali.

Hurry, since you’re a good chap and all that, I’ve passed the text through Google translate for you:

On Weber says:
September 19, 2012 at 10:59 pm

I think frankly we stand by a little careful, because the the
reason (not want to force) shows that this man, who thinks that he
hajku artist, in fact is being run on a rope stretched and
I can see clearly that if the rope nilaghbulu stand by him,
all we say, it might lose its equilibrium –
oligarkija and not oligarkija – because it is a delicate balance.

Not the slightest doubt that if they lose balance, loss of a few
would fail to proceed to the next step. So far proved
fighter, not with facts but with Paroli is being sacrifice – and
I think everyone agrees with me – the career
and even that policy. I hope that after das moral suicide
seeing a physical suicide. Is on kuxjenztna. Tabs.
Reply

H.P. Baxxter says:
September 19, 2012 at 11:13 pm

Had I know it can happen that, quit turn comments, because
we saw what happened in cases of bullying. But do not think that we have reached
exactly this point. Franco Debono knows what make and
must be real dumb to believe is crazy. Therefore
argue that there is nothing wrong to use some satira, only
course within the limits of the law.

And so I’ve been myself. But I minhiex public figure
as Dr Debono then slightly off guard, but
There honestly need to enter the satira Malta, because
to laugh public figures is a sign of democratic maturity,
once call ourselves Europeans.
On Weber says:
September 19, 2012 at 11:30 pm

Knowing you right in, Baxxter, although I take almost almost wassaltni to
Taking me gave me the istupidu donnok because I explain some of the
interest in the possible consequences of the analysis is not always
his scientific psike.

Franco may be labile man, psikolabili say – I think both
you how the other readers understand what I want I mean by the word car
labile.

–

Have raised really important argument, Baxxter, and the gbidtilna
attention to the fact that democracy is the optimum satira
a means to curb the crossing of a threshold that is derived from its severest
ambition, which recognizes no owner and want to hear from any
reason. May the jkollox right in you, and not me.
H.P. Baxxter says:
September 19, 2012 at 11:38 pm

What should we do in such instances, Min Weber?
Avvanzajna much in democracy, but not enough.
I should be saying that the health of European civilization is precisely the satira.
So let’s become more European, and remove the stupid censorship.
Still we are respecting the natural law.
H.P. Baxxter says:
September 19, 2012 at 11:49 pm

Labile is a word you learned in chemistry, many years ago.
Originally, comes from the Latin “labilis”, which eventually gave us the
Old French “labile”. An example of a chemical that is labile is the
nitric acid. While an example of by the Property element is
ytterbium.
On Weber says:
September 20, 2012 at 12:03 am

Satira, satira, satira – how full of nice words, noble concept,
unique in cultural heritage: I agree 100% Baxxter. The changed satira
Europe face, because of the way and stop mastered resist
intransigence of the rulers and the danger to the public when resurface c-
carlatani. It guarantees, control abuse, the essence of democracy;
but I’m saying is: We count seven eyes because
this man has delicate ego – not panic disorder should,
or anxiety – but ego weak, delicate equilibrium, retains tie
and I definitely do not want to see it do some idiocy. Both him, as for us.
On Weber says:
September 20, 2012 at 12:08 am

Labile also has meaning in psikoligija, both of Freud as that
analytical, and other schools, as for Lacan, CBT, and
so. Means that it has little control over the emotion and
his instincts, to take him and the sopravvent jirriducuh for simple
worst slave of his party, that party animal, the doctor of Vienna called it an
and the endless harm to know when the ego is weak.

Harry, my friend, is it my fault if in every territory one finds
a different language? Is it my fault that there is not one single
reference language which can peacefully serve as a universal
relay for the thoughts of all peoples? I can really understand
your frustration, but what can we do?

Partly it is explained in the Bible, when Man thought he had
understood how to beat God and become God and decided to
rival Him by building a Tower. It so happened that God got angry and
dispersed humanity around the world creating languages and confusion
in the process. And thus every nation, every land, every people,
every community has its own language and you have to adapt or perish.