I’m flagging up this piece by Ranier Fsadni
Published:
March 15, 2013 at 1:26pm
I found it interesting – a perspective beyond triumphalism, dejection or hysteria. I think it might be a good idea to make yourself a cup of coffee and read it too, if you haven’t done so already.
Link below.
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http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130314/opinion/Floating-over-the-canyon.461493
Wonderfully sober piece. And with just that slight hint of optimism.
I agree with Fsadni’s analysis.
But one further thought comes to mind: ironically, an atomised, individualistic society of pseudo-liberal “floaters” is also much easier to control and manipulate, particularly via social media tools that were essentially designed for this purpose.
Moreover, social media actually creates an environment that is conducive to further individualisation and fragmentation of the society, rendering the basic notions like “common interest” and “public good” redundant.
Virtual people “talking” to each other in a virtual space, “liking” this and that are a prime material for Machiavellian manipulation.
A society made up of loosely-knit, selfish, unthinking and egoistic members is pliant and malleable, conformist and uncritical.
Such society’s pseudo-liberalism is only a superficial manifestation of a profound deficiency of core values among its disjointed members and essentially – lack of basic life purpose.
Yes, such a society may easily choose to step on the path of self-destruction out of individualistic spite, sheer boredom and lack of purpose in life.
In other words, the electoral programme drawn up by the PN had to be copied.
The method however, provided by the checks and balances built up over the years, won’t.
And how is that expected to work?
The tactic used was divide and rule and guess who was pushing it through to get the powerful position he always wanted?
Fsadni’s analysis is excellent, if it were applied to any normal country. But Malta isn’t normal.
It’s out of any bounds of normality to have the illiterates, the mentally handicapped, the senile and the hillbillies voting in such large numbers. It also means you cannot apply the normal campaigning techniques.