The power of negative thinking
After turning away €14 million in funds from the European Union for a thousand spurious reasons and petty grievances, we’re now at it again, looking another gift horse in the mouth over at the citadel in Gozo.
A news report in The Times – ‘Italian company wins Cittadella masterplan contract’ – has drawn howls of protest from those who want to know why the work isn’t being done by Maltese people working for Maltese companies. The news to them was not that finally, something is going to be done about the citadel and its ruins, but that the engineering company which will be investigating the stability of the site is Italian, and not Maltese.
Well, I hate to be mean about this, but the last time a Maltese geologist appended his name to a ‘report’, he was roundly and soundly laughed out of town by all except those who are expert at nothing but playing bridge, making lampuka pies and griping about the blocks of flats in their backyards – from the comfort of other blocks of flats in other people’s backyards.
But that’s by the by. What really interests me is the primitive thinking at work here. Here are some examples, complete with the original spelling, grammar and punctuation. L. Galea: “Always getting foreigners instead of commission Maltese persons and companies. Can Gonezipn go lower than this in foreign lackeyism?” victor g. mercieca: “Ignoring completely local resources why is that?….Was this survey done already?? Why does the island of Gozo continue to miss out on vital infrastructure communications that should have been in place long time ago? Far too many question marks????” At least his last remark was spot on.
There was more negative thinking from people who don’t understand the open tendering process that came into effect when Malta joined the European Union. I sometimes think that lots of people do not fully comprehend that we are part of the EU, and what this means in terms of freedom of movement and obligations – hence the ‘tow them back’ sentiments expressed about immigrants, and the repeated suggestion, made under a news report yesterday about a Romanian beggar who had been jailed, that he should be deported. Take the ubiquitous Joe Borg, for example: “Is it possible no Maltese company is capable of carrying out these works!!??!!??” And then the really incompetent J. Galea: “Has this ever been tendered for local companies before being awarded to Politecnica Ingegneria e Architettura?” Yes, that’s right. That’s the way it works: the government asks ‘local’ – not Maltese, but local – businesses whether they want the job, and if they decline, it gives Italy a shout. Then there were the completely incoherent, like Kevin Zammit: “More money for more Italian plans….and the citadella? What for? Its better if the money is used to protect what there is as is…how about using the money to get a couple of archaeologists to study the site better?”
The power of positive thinking…….it certainly hasn’t come to Malta. The Maltese mindset is invariably negative. We don’t look for the silver lining; we look for the cloud. The glass is half empty. If something good happens, our response is a cynical grunt, wondering out loud where the catch is. If we get a free shed-load of money, like millions of euros to build a museum, we kvetch and bitch about the reasons why we don’t even want to try finding out how we might take advantage of it. But then we are quite happy to stand in line for hours waiting to exchange our tin-cans and our bottle-tops for dishcloths or mugs with a brand-name printed on them.
Presented with the news that Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein (as members of the European Economic Area) will be co-financing the drawing up of a conservation master-plan for the Gozo citadel, our reaction is not “Wow, that’s great! How kind of them. We could really use the money and the project.” No, instead it’s “Iss hej, where’s the catch? Why can’t a ‘local’ company do the work? Why can’t we spend the money on something else instead?”
We can’t spend the money on something else because we are getting the money for a specific reason: the citadel project. I really can’t believe the way people reason, the way they don’t understand how project financing works. We saw it with the St John’s museum: great merriment because now the €14 million have been freed up to be spread around among those who want sheds for carnival floats and those who want yet another theatre. Sorry, but that’s not how it works, and somebody had better do some explaining quite quickly before more and more people make utter fools of themselves.
Instead of being thankful that Iceland, which is facing economic catastrophe, has chosen to give money to Malta, which at this point in time should instead be giving money to Iceland, the message coming through from The People, in all their great wisdom, is that we should take the money and run, spending it on what we think best rather than on what it was given for. Again, somebody needs to do a lot of explaining about how project financing works: you don’t get a pot of readies to raid as you see fit. Everything is audited and monitored, every step of the way. It doesn’t work on the principle of chucking money into a busker’s hat on the street.
Imagine if the people of Iceland thought like the people of Malta, and demanded to know why their taxes are going to finance a geo-technical exploration project in an ancient walled city on an island they’d never heard of. But we don’t look at it that way, do we? Using the hard-earned taxes of the people of other countries to fund our own projects is a divine right: they are there to give us money, and we are here to demand it, and then to use it as we deem fit. Every so often, we will look that damned gift horse in the mouth and say, take your stinking money and stuff it up where the sun doesn’t shine. If you’re going to attach strings to it, then we don’t want it, thanks but no thanks.
There’s more going on at the citadel besides this. The European Union is co-financing a €7 million project for the consolidation of the bedrock and restoration of the bastion walls. Using the reasoning of the intellectually impaired leader of the Opposition, the funds must have been obtained by “somebody who knows how to play the game”, so we might as well get right down to finding the fly in the ointment as quickly as we can, lest something actually gets done.
Many books have been written about the constructive power of positive thinking. But Maltese society is a case study in the reverse – the destructive power of negative thinking. Everything positive that has happened here has been achieved by going against the flow, battling uphill against the flood of negativity.
Take a look next time you’re in a crowd of Maltese – walking around the capital city, for example – and you’ll notice that the predominant facial expression is not pleasant or even neutral, but bad-tempered, angry, irritated, stony-faced, glaring, and downright unpleasant. Negative people, the lot of them; and all of them probably believe that they are the most hard-done-by and zvinturati people on earth.
This article is published in The Malta Independent on Sunday today.
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It’s funny how nobody ever writes in to say we Maltese should take on the full cost too. Then ‘we’ could do the work, set ‘our’ own standards, and even pay the bills too.
I think the people who post on timesofmalta.com’s comments section are a minority in this country. Or at least, I really, really hope so.
Edward DeBono – read this piece and weep! No wonder you want to build a Lateral Institute here…but before you do kindly confer with the twits Daphne quoted and ah, yes, the doyennes of them all – Estrid and Fran
This is really interesting to dissect further and digest:
1. The funds are Norwegian, Icelandic and Liechtensteinian (I think the word exists). These countries contribute to the EU even though they are not of the Union, just to be within the economic zone. This is even more interesting when one realises that Iceland is practically bankrupt. These funds are not just made available to the Maltese government – as many seem to think – so that it can have a pot of gold, dip its hands in it and grab what is available for what purpose it pleases. One has in fact to produce a full project proposal, submit it to the European selection committee and the donor countries must approve it. It is utterly unethical for people like the Europhile Joseph Muscat to try and push forward the idea that these funds are somehow obtained by a few within a prescribed circle of “friends”. It is true that one has to learn the ropes and be able to place one’s project within the set criteria, but it is also true that this involves years of experience and numerous failed attempts. So please, Doctor Joseph Muscat, do not belittle the efforts of the ones that are the unsung heroes behind all these projects.
2. As you have clearly indicated, most people do not understand what EU membership really entails – or they do understand but see only the benefits to their pockets, like easier travel, easier availability of work abroad, scholarship opportunities, consumer rights, the chance of selling their property to non-Maltese EU citizens at a good profit etc – basically rights, rights and more rights, even when these are only perceived. But then when it comes to obligations, we just scamper away and complain because we are obliged to follow the rules.
This is really getting frustrating. When other EU countries are on the verge of bankruptcy (Lithuana, which just a few months ago was presented as a model country where economic miracles have happened and which was 10 places above us in the competitive index list; Hungary, four places above us; and Poland, three places above us), we are getting into useless discussions, petty arguments (including illegal immigration) and an increase in the pressure on national finances (return of VAT on second-hand, high-end cars) instead of realising that we need to safeguard what we have and work towards a national consensus on the real national problems. This is exemplified by looking at the majority of this week’s headline news.
I only wish I was 20 years younger as I would gladly show Malta and its population my two fingers and forget all about it. Alas, I am stuck here and have to bear all the fools around me.
I see that two well known names gave Ms Daphne Caruana Galizia a drubbing on the Independent! They only proved DCG’s theme about negativity and that she is miles ahead in progressive thinking than they are! Then there is the subject of one’s own agenda (at least in one case). But that’s another (related) issue?
[Daphne – They both have a very personal agenda, but I won’t go into that now. Suffice it to say that I am the long-time and loyal friend of Mrs de Trafford’s very badly-treated daughter, while Mr Apap Bologna has never forgiven me for naming him as an art dealer to a notorious cocaine trafficker during a high profile trial. I’ll just say how sad it is that they and Astrid Vella appear to believe that a surname is an adequate substitute for professional qualifications in the case in question – very backward thinking.]
“Negative people, the lot of them; and all of them probably believe that they are the most hard-done-by and zvinturati people on earth.”
Hold on a minute. They – we – were born with a Maltese passport, which isn’t exactly the best of all possible worlds.
Now re. the Gozo citadel. Has any archaeological survey been carried out in recent times? I’m sure it would yield a few juicy medieval finds. The tiny Gozo archaeological museum contains more items from the 10th-13th century period than all of Malta’s museums put together. Is there more stuff in reserve collections? (Like the carved Norman columns in the Valletta archaeology museum.) Daphne, you read archaeology…
An excellent article. Our worst enemy is constant negative thinking.
I don’t mind the general thrust of the article, but here’s the really worrying thing – the same thinking is spreading, rapidly, abroad as well. Check Gordon Brown’s handling of the recent ‘British jobs for British workers’ strike. Instead of a Malta fashioned more like the rest of Europe, we might ironically soon end up with a Europe fashioned like Malta! Now, there’s a sobering thought.
We think negatively because we think in the same way that Arabs do. And we think in the same way that Arabs do because essentially that’s what we are.
@jason spiteri
It is negative thinking that saved our banks, and Europe is thinking like Malta because it has got its fingers burnt! Exuberance is the trait of idiots: those who just show too much positive thinking have an axe to grind or are plain stupid!
[Daphne – More wisdom.]
@ Emanuel Muscat
Positive thinking does not mean going about in a constant state of euphoria, eliminating all dangers from consciousness and taking unnecessary risks. It does entail, however, refraining from looking gift-horses too closely in the mouth.
Emanuel Muscat, positive thinking has nothing to do with naivety, inexperience and gullibility.
Example:
Positive thinker: Your food gets burnt, but it’s no problem. At least you can always make another meal.
Negative thinker: Your food gets burnt, you go mad and destroy every kitchen appliance in front of you.
How about: Negative thinker: your food gets burnt and you shrug and get on with it, because you were expecting the worst. And you’ve nothing else to cook.
Despite all the whining, the Maltese tend to be passive at the same time.
[Daphne – Despite all the whining? Passiveness and negative thinking are part and parcel of the same psychological make-up. Positive thinkers are pro-active and have initiative. And if you’re not careful, I’ll get started on the Catholic/Protestant thing again.]
The problem of constant whining is compounded by the fact that the concept of extensive and huge welfare state is ingrained in the Maltese mindset. People feel dependent on the government, and they expect the state to solve all problems (remember Price Club?).
The more people feel dependent on the state, with widespread suspicion and envy for any individual initiative and success, the longer the whining state of mind will persist. The Maltese have been spoiled for a very long time.
Mr. Emanuel Muscat, don’t take life too seriously. No one gets out alive.
Well Daphne, you are right about the Catholic/Protestant thing again, the way Catholics are asked to beg and pray, ask for solutions and have the Bible read to them, whilst Protestants seek solutions, read the Bible themselves, and there is no guilt associated with earning money. Look at the US, a country with a Protestant majority. One of the reasons for the country’s success is the positive attitude (forget the current ‘temporary’ crisis) and the drive to achieve. People are constantly positive, even after 9/11, Katrina etc.
There’s a limit to everything though. The Dow has lost another 300 points and closed at a 12-year low, unemployment soars and the mood of consumers continues to be gloomy. Neither Al-Qaeda nor Mother Nature could have done a better job than the Bush Administration.
1. Catholics no longer have the Bible read to them; they are highly encouraged to read it themselves, and meditate upon it.
2. Catholics do believe that prayer will help in difficult situations; but one is expected to do one’s bit: “Għin ruħek biex Alla jgħinek” (God helps those who help themselves) was drummed into my head by my Catholic parents, and it is a maxim many of us go by.
3. If you dwell only on what is negative, you’re bound to concoct a pretty dismal picture of the Maltese reality. One has to wonder why some tend to bring into focus only failures, eccentricities, idiosyncrasies and ignore the many positive things we have: the willingness to help, a sense of community in many areas, the success stories….. Why the constant need to view life as it were one massive caricature?
[Daphne – The willingness to help? Help who?]
@Leonard
The US will be the first country to get out of this mess. It will take some time, but it will. The enterpreunerial spirit will triumph again. Europe will take longer to recover, due to the constraints of all the ‘socialist’ laws and the heavy welfare state prevalent in most countries.
The Dow will keep going down as long as Obama keeps on bashing the banks, the CEOs of the largest corporations, and the fact that he is using the stimulus package to widen the concept of the welfare state in the US. Everyone is expecting a heavy tax burden in the years to come.
@ P.Shaw:
You are probably right in predicting that the US’s freer capitalist system will help it emerge from the current crisis ahead of the EU. Perhaps you should consider also whether the number of casualties in the US “unburdened” with state welfare provision will be lower than that in Europe.
@P Shaw
One has to ask why the US got into such a mess, but I agree that it will be the first to come out of it. As to the rest, time will tell. I think it’s a good chance for the US to move a step towards the level of civilisation one finds in leading European counties.
@ P Shaw & Leonard
If the US gets out of the mess first it is because of the ‘first in, first out’ syndrome. The US economy tanked out because of greed and lack of reasonable precautions. The “Amercan dream” has turned into an American nightmare and worse, their problem has become the world’s problem. They are now printing billions, nay, trillions of dollars which their future generations are bound to pay dearly for.
Pity that so many senior citizens who have toiled all their life and accumulated their own retirement funds are now faced with the utter decimation of their investments due to reckless lending by American banks. Even more worrisome is the fact that the crisis has not bottomed out yet and many more millions will find themselves out of a job, lose their homes, go on welfare and line up at the soup kitchen.
The Maltese public has not experienced any major consequences of the ongoing disaster which will continue for quite some time yet.
The trillions of dollars, sterling and euros which are being thrown at the problem are no guarantee that the various economies will turn around any time soon. Profiteering by the unscrupulous many will absorb a substantial amount off the people’s back after the various governments succeed in even agreeing how to spend the multitude of funds. Even if all the allotted money hits the economies tomorrow, it will take several months for the effect to take hold and start to help economies find the road to recovery.
If one looks at America’s history for the last 50 years, one finds that its economy performed best in wartime, followed by serious downward economic trends – WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq 1, Afghanistan and Iraq 2. This time we are all paying for unwinnable wars.