I refer to Martin Scicluna’s article on ‘The EU Ambassador’s report’ (May 2). What he refers to as the “Maltese predilection for conspiracy theories” certainly does not exclude a great many other countries whose peoples are as disposed to their consumption as we are in Malta.

 So nothing new on that front. His criticism of “the few thousand Maltese who have raised Daphne Caruana Galizia to the status of a secular saint” is below the belt.

It is, rather, silence and apathy on this front that would have been an unacceptable position. Regardless of one’s political inclinations, no one should allow for a journalist’s assassination to slip into oblivion. So much so that who one votes for is irrelevant to what is at stake.

Therefore, Scicluna’s describing public outrage to Daphne’s murder as “pseudo politics” is not only unfortunate but the reverse. Silence and apathy would be seriously detrimental to society.

Further to the above is the inflammatory language used to rationalise political division in Maltese society described as “the polarisation of politics stems from the poisonous mix of Siculo and Semitic blood”. Our Siculo Arab Heritage defines the linguistic and cultural roots of the Maltese. Describing it as “poisonous” is an affront to the ethnic group Scicluna belongs to and certainly explains nothing. Least of all political division in Malta.

Reason also rejects the idea that authorities can or should tell us what the truth is. We must be taught to question what we read and hear

Without constantly berating and chastising his fellow compatriots, a possible solution to polarisation and group think in Malta lies elsewhere. They are the following: individualism which allows for personal responsibility as I shall explain below, and reason. Both traits are acquired through education and are certainly not inherent or absent through genetic disposition or ethnicity.

It would do us good to nurture these qualities with respect to our pol-itical maturity. But more importantly for ourselves and the reasons why are self-evident.

Individualism says people should put themselves first. That doesn’t mean to hurt others in any way. It just means everyone is responsible for their own life and own success, and should make that a high priority. Help others after you have your own house in order and have something to spare.

This approach means no one is reliant on anyone else. It means if my life doesn’t work out, that’s my own responsibility. No one else is to blame and I am not a victim. This approach of personal responsibility is empowering because it means I can take initiative without waiting for someone else to help me.

Individualism is a tradition about valuing individual people. It says people are more than a social group, a PL supporter or a PN supporter, an ethnicity, a nationality, a religion, an educational level, a profession, an income, a marital status, and other broad demographic data.

People have unique ideas, traits and preferences. That’s what makes each one of us unique. As you can’t judge a book by its cover, you can’t judge a person without getting to know him.

Reason (or rationality) is a tradition about how to think logically. It tries to avoid bias and find the truth whether we like that truth or not. It avoids superstition, magical thinking, parochialism, faith, hardheadedness and whim.

Reason requires people be open to changing their mind.

Reason also rejects the idea that authorities can or should tell us what the truth is. We must be taught to question what we read and hear in the media. Instead, we should judge ideas ourselves, and based on the content of the idea not the person who said it, regardless of the persons seniority and position.

Even if I am the person who said an idea, and I have a PhD, or I’m the Prime Minister of Malta (I am neither) that doesn’t count for anything, it could be mistaken and should be judged on its merits.

Madeleine Gera is an artist who lives and works in Valletta.