The aphorism primum vivere deinde philosophare, ("first live, then later philosophies") is attributed to Hobbes. Being more down to earth, we have a Maltese expression with analogous connotation: "L-ewwel il-pappa u mbagħad l-umpappa" (bread comes before amusement). The post-war political jibe directed at Nerik Mizzi "Pappa Nerik!" shows that the Maltese were more concerned with bread and butter issues than their country’s self-determination.
This attitude is endemic in our culture, and understandably so. Lacking practically any natural resources – apart of our island's natural harbours and surrounding sea – throughout history, both Malta and its inhabitants have experienced a perennial state of dependency, helplessness and ensuing poverty.
At the macro-level, our country survived in an economic system where other powerful countries benefited, while it was exploited. At micro-interpersonal level, this dependency took the form of patronage. Thus, the survival and upward mobility of several Maltese (of every socio-economic extraction) were and still are dependent on patron-client relationship.
The proverbial "ddardarx l-għajn li trid tixrob minnha" (don't mess up the spring you need to drink from"), and "Bla qaddisin ma tmurx il-ġenna" ("without saints one cannot go to heaven") brilliantly depict one of the survival mechanism used by clients. Unfortunately, this has become part of our moral mindset that still motivates many of us in 2020.
The wolf changed its coat, but not its disposition. This patronage system was carried on by the British colonial administration, the Church, the nobility, local landed elite, and the professions. Political parties and individual politicians have followed suit. Our flaunted democratic constitution and equality laws have not changed this moral mindset.
For this reason, in my view, Malta is not yet a modern country. In recent years this has become glaringly clear. Power (authority?) creates money, and money creates power… and the show goes on!
Christian faith binds us to fill the present moral vacuum
This is the cultural baggage at the basis of our country's current moral malaise. It is a legacy that has become incarnate in a morality based on favour and fear: "tbus l-id li tixtieq maqtugħa!" (kiss the hand one wish to cut off). I needn't expand on the types of favours granted and fears endured. Intelligenti pauca (For the intelligent, a few words are enough).
Corruption is, to a different extent, widespread in our social processes, be they business dealings, the mental attitudes of decision-makers, and institutions. Nepotism, cronyism. favouritism and amoral familism are the means and end of this mindset. This resulted from our dependency, which is exhibited in our economy and widespread lack of integrity, and visible in self-declared dementia, deafness and lack of inquisitiveness, which seem to be more widespread than COVID-19.
If St Paul were to drop us a line, we have made it easy for him. He would only have to lift the word "stomach" (Philippians 3:19) and substitute it by the term "purse": "their god is their purse, and their glory is in their shame".
Christian faith binds us to fill the present moral vacuum with the radicality of Christ. We cannot allow any longer religion to be a substitute for faith, ritual for prayer, rubrics for liturgy, the temple for the ministry, the statue for the saint, and the letter for the Spirit!
Our starting should be a maturia to our kenotic God.
Rev. Joe Inguanez is a sociologist and national chaplain of Żagħzagħ Ħaddiema Nsara