A physical meeting place was necessary, in the not-too-distant past, in order to whip up interest for a political party or cause. People gathered and listened to speeches, preferably delivered by charismatic, persuasive figures, who would stir up their emotions and make them feel passionately about something. Information was exchanged and discussed in coffee shops in the square.
Personal contact and face-to-face meetings are still the most effective way to gain the enthusiasm and loyalty of supporters. Apart from the big meetings, our political leaders spend a lot of time meeting people. They make house visits, attend social gatherings and give speeches to activists on Sunday mornings. People also still spend a lot of time in coffee shops.
There is, however, another reality out there in the world of social media, which politicians struggle to keep up with. Internet-based networks of debate and discontent are constantly forming on Facebook and Twitter.
Today it is hard to imagine any kind of civic or political protest being successful without some use of social media. Causes don’t even always need a charismatic leader or focal point; they have many centres of action, strewn all over the internet. They resemble a mass of talkative coffee shops, without big leaders but with direct links to one another in real time. Physical spaces, chairs and tables, and opening hours are irrelevant. You can chat, debate and listen to conversations in several coffee shops simultaneously, night and day, without leaving the house.
There can be no doubt that the Panama Papers scandal will not go quietly
Protests and corners of outrage appear and disappear all the time on social media. Most of them do not really succeed. They flame up into a quick fire, and go out again. It is very easy to click and like or share a post, but most of them fade away and people do not translate their click into any form of sustained action.
Some cyber-networks have had a big impact. The Arab Spring revolutions, for example, were partly driven by access to social media.
It is difficult for any government to react to the incessant stream of short-lived protests on Facebook and elsewhere. Resources and attention spans are limited. Which issues will grow big and make a difference, and which will just streak the sky and disappear like a shooting star?
There can be no doubt that the Panama Papers scandal will not go quietly. It is not a shooting star. Another week has passed and this story has again featured prominently in the newspapers, every single day.
Those who think they can sit it out without answering any tough questions, and wait for it to blow over, are ignoring reality. Queries and comments about Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri are still constantly circulated all over the internet, in shared posts, comments, links, jokes and memes. The government cannot control this.
The internet world expects fast responses to questions. It provides assertive voters with a forum for incessant debate, and people want answers. A government wall of silence on the Panama Papers is unlikely to succeed in the long run. It is arrogant and simply will not work.
• I recently attended a small gathering organised by the Archbishop of Malta, Charles Scicluna, on board the Phoenix. This is the ship run by MOAS, the Migrant Offshore Aid Station, registered in Malta, which provides a ‘search-and-rescue’ service to migrants in difficulty at sea.
The weather has changed, and sadly the season of distress, disaster, fear and death has resumed. Desperate people are seeking better lives, with many ending their traumatic journeys in tragedy.
Last week, the image of another young, dead child went viral on the internet. The lifeless baby is held in the arms of a German rescue worker, and it is as heart-wrenching as all the rest.
The Archbishop’s idea was to invite newspaper columnists, radio and TV presenters and journalists to celebrate ‘World Communications Day’ on board the Phoenix. He called it a ‘ship of mercy’, and reminded everyone present of the need for solidarity and compassion.
The Church in Malta still has a very strong influence and positive messages to share, but its role is not always straightforward. It often treads a delicate line on where and how to be involved in current affairs.
The Archbishop is an eloquent and engaging speaker. He stressed that it is not enough to talk about mercy; it must be concrete. The Phoenix translates compassion into action, but people working in the media also have “an important mission – that of arousing a conscience in our nation”.
The media does indeed have a very important role to play in society. Besides raising awareness about the human tragedy of migration, the media should investigate, reveal and discuss facts in all spheres of life.
Last week, however, The Sunday Times of Malta editorial sounded some alarm bells. It stated that Malta has become “a disturbing example of how a political elite can attempt to roll back democracy, even in the heart of Europe, by undermining the freedom of the press”.
It was a very strong statement. The Prime Minister should take steps to ensure that these fears are assuaged. As a former journalist, he surely cannot take the freedom of the press lightly.
petracdingli@gmail.com