Some recent articles I read dealt with a pontificating tirade on why the Labour Party must not change its emblem or why it is unimaginable that the Nationalist Party changes its Maduma.
As a point of departure, the mentality behind this opinion is all wrong. It is simply the result of an obsessive resistance to political change or back to basics in political thinking.
Every party must think of a change of emblem (and chunks of its statute) every so many years. It is a progressive attitude. Resistance to this change is a subconscious hugging of the way things used to be for their own sake. Hugging the past will not make it stay or come back. It will not make individuals who thought they were once important re-acquire the importance they think they once had.
Journalism and political progress
In my opinion, journalists have a role in political progress. I can never, for example, go and interview someone who stamps his feet at apparently superficial political change – often representing required change – as I would be promoting political mould and blindness. Journalists who dig up politicians of the past and invite them to pontificate on the political strategies of the present are doing a disservice to progressive politics.
Mind your French
A dedication to permanent political change must incorporate a continuous love of meritocracy. This includes what the Maltese like to say about giving bread to those who know how to eat it – which is unrelated to the opinion of a certain Marie-Antoinette. I saw a notice in various languages and decided to read its contents. The French version had some incredible mistakes and I wondered who was the exciting Francophile who had been asked to compose the French message. Very clumsily and ironically, this notice was placed smack in front of the residence of the Minister of Education – who absolutely loves French.
Political cosmetic surgery
I read somewhere that some Western politicians have over the years stealthily been to cosmetic surgery thinking they were effecting political change. This is wrongly believed to reactivate an electoral advantage by providing a more youthful appearance. Some may think that the modification of a politician’s physiognomy is humorous but a search on this matter will prove that it is very serious. A mature person with at least some attachment to the past, culturally, religiously and so on who suddenly starts wearing a younger face and confronts the mirror daily with a clash of mind and face, may end up having serious psychological problems, which his close acquaintances will notice and worry about.
Politicians who undergo cosmetic surgery may end up being victims of uncontrolled psychological self-misunderstanding.
Writers’ role
All writers are of course free to write about anything they want. Their choices are enjoyable to themselves and interested readers. Writing, however, is not strictly limited to enjoyment. It may be related to social and political change. It is all the more successful the less excitement is used while resisting the self-defeating emotion of using ad hominem attacks that destroy writers’ credibility.
I do not believe than any writer enjoys having a reputation of intransigent one-track mind. Surely, s/he feels that unemotional tact can move politically emotional people into considering the possibility that the writer is right in his analysis of ideas. I guess this would be to the writer’s satisfaction while promoting his/her “mission.”
Waiting for M Sciberras
Commenting after my recent article about scholarship holders coming back to Malta and are neither utilised nor respected, an angry person by the name of M Sciberras attacked my writing style as a defence mechanism against my opinion. (Remember Aesop and La Fontaine?) I ignored this childishness but invited M Sciberras to meet me as I wished to explain my conviction further with concrete examples proving poor educational management. M Sciberras has not reacted and I hope s/he will make up his/her mind to encourage in my pen a better poetic prose and a visit to the land of meritocracy.
Hidden meanings
Exchanges between persons of different professions are part of healthy social change.
I had come across legal expressions which sounded shocking at first (like “vitiated – vizjat”) but they were, after all, not so tragic. A legal person I admire did not seem to be familiar with the expression “hidden” often used in linguistics.
There is nothing terrible, suspicious or shady in talking of superficial or hidden meaning in expression. People use hidden meaning all the time for discretion, humour, sarcasm, affection, jargon etc.
I always enjoy discussing such matters with friends who find a little time to roam beyond their professional parameters. For example, is professional opinion strictly objective?
Dr Licari is a researcher in multiculturalism.