Empathy, morality, and honesty – three things that are missing from this society

As long as the general population is passive, apathetic, diverted to consumerism or hatred of the vulnerable, then the powerful can do as they please, and those who survive will be left to contemplate the outcome – Noam Chomsky

Humans are capable of many things – some are wonderful, but some are truly horrible. The most sobering thought I have when I think of our civilisation is that no matter how much we strive for equality, human rights, fairness, and justness, we will still come across those members of our society who seek to destroy it through an inherent desire to better themselves, and only themselves.

There is no way around it. The behavioural capabilities of a human span a broad spectrum, from kind-hearted and placid, to sociopathic and evil and the challenge we have is to create social structures that lead to more desirable results in our society. These structures are of course up for debate, but I imagine that they would include economic prosperity, education, a good level of health care, a corruption free government, equal rights, a sustainable environment and a stable social environment. Not too much to ask, is it?

Of course, to achieve this one there must be the complicity and commitment of politicians, and that is why the current state of affairs in Malta concerns me greatly at the moment. This country’s political dynamics such as the bullying of journalists, rampant misdemeanours, the interaction between candidates, the policies being considered, the mob mentality increasingly reflects a total lack of empathy or sensitivity towards anyone. This view is wilfully insensitive, aggressive, hateful, and completely and utterly absorbed in the concept of bettering oneself rather than society as a whole. An objective observer would be left thinking that Malta, both politically and as continue to devolve until we are dragged kicking and screaming back into the dark ages.

Empathy and its cousin compassion are things that are reflected in public policy. While Malta moves along in terms of LGBTIQ rights, racism, discrimination, domestic violence, infringement of animal rights, and sexism are all on the rise. Let us look at the recent and ongoing migrant crisis facing Europe which has seen men, women, and children displaced from their homes due to a war that is not their fault. What should have happened is that our politicians should have reacted with humanity and warmth, a feeling that would have instilled a shared sense of humanity throughout society as well as the political rhetoric. Look how many cases there are of abused women in the news, and the assailant gets away with a slap on the wrist. Not to mention the countless money laundering scandals that name and shame the upper echelons of the political elite. There is no deterrent, no moral code, and nothing to say that this is wrong. It has become so normal and the repercussions have become so non-existent that the only people that come out of these situations badly are the victims or the whistle-blowers.

When I log onto social media, or read the comments section on an article, the two words that come to my mind first are disdain and hatred. It makes me sad to see that these two things have become the cornerstones of the Maltese social commentary. As an outsider, we are constantly reviled, blamed for various failings within society and hated by an impulsive population that isn’t capable of rational thought. Add in a sprinkling of anti-intellectu- alism, nationalism, corruption, right wing conservatism, amoral familism, and Catholicism into the mix, and you have a recipe for disaster.

Being empathetic or compassionate does not require a societal sacrifice for the benefit of strangers, but it does require people to educate themselves about what is happening around them, both in Malta and outside of Malta. It also requires a minimal level of humanitarian values, and a big dose of rationality. You might think that this lack of empathy or common sense is ok because “this is Malta” and you will survive like you have always done, but you are wrong.

The foreigners that you hate, but that keep your economy afloat are leaving in droves. The majority of the ones that remain do so with a growing sense of disgust for what goes on around them. The island has transformed from a beautiful, Mediterranean paradise into a dirty, dusty, over developed mess and all the charms that Malta could once rely on are slowly disappearing. International banks and businesses are aware of your reputation and look down on you because of it and it remains to be seen just how much these scandals will affect the country’s prospects in the long run.

Malta is a member of a global economy now and as such, it needs to drag its attitudes out of the gutter and bring itself into line with the rest of Europe. The eyes of the wider world are on you whether you like it or not, and digging your heels in, spreading hatred and allowing your political leaders to get away with lying, cheating, conning, and stealing is a sad reflection of the moral basis of this society.