O capítulo dedicado a Portugal, do relatório sobre prosperidade mundial que mencionei no último post, é uma pérola que deveria ser lida por todos os portugueses. Nos poucos parágrafos que tem, há imensas frases como "o nível de certo dado X está muito acima da média mundial, mas os portugueses mostram-se convencidos do contrário". O texto seria altamente cómico (e será para um estrangeiro), se não fosse trágico.

Aqui ficam algumas citações, peço desculpa de não traduzir mas elas são tantas...

• While Portugal ranks 22nd in the Index for its affordability of food and shelter, only 48%* of its population were satisfied with their standard of living: putting the country in 80th place, worldwide.
• Portuguese believe economic conditions are getting worse, ranking 104th on economic expectations (...) However, foundations for future growth appear stronger.
• (...) while a relatively low 2% of its banks’ loans are non-performing, barely more than half* of the Portuguese have confidence in their country’s financial institutions.
• Portugal has a strong entrepreneurial climate, but few Portuguese believe that hard work will get them ahead in life.
• Uneven economic development across different socio-economic groups is low, but this does not translate into public perception of social mobility: a low 54% of people surveyed believe that hard work will get them ahead in life, a score among the Index’s bottom 15 on this variable.
• Portugal places in the upper third of the Index for the level of constraints on political actors, and the level of competition within, and regulation of, the executive branch. However, just four in 10* Portuguese report confidence in their government. Further, a one-fifth* of people are satisfied with the country’s policies to address poverty, and support for environmental preservation is below average, at 43%*. On these three variables, Portugal falls into the lower third of the Index.
• According to public perception, corruption in Portugal occurs at relatively high levels*, but respect for the rule of law is high, as is the quality of regulation in the business sector; both variables scoring in the upper third of the Index.
• Basic indicators of health in Portugal are very good. (...) Despite these largely positive signs, Portugal falls below the global average with the 80%* of its people who are satisfied with their health. According to a 2008 survey, a very high 49%* of people had felt worried a lot of the day before, among the bottom five on this variable, worldwide...
• While civil liberties, such as freedom of expression, belief and association, in Portugal are some of the highest, globally, a relatively low 65%* of Portuguese felt that they have the ability to do what they want with their lives: 74th in the Index.

Repare-se como o lado positivo está invariavelmente do lado dos factos, e o negativo do lado das crenças!

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