Friday 29 March 2024

A Pavlovian reaction

Ironically, Kristina Chetcuti’s article yesterday in which she suggested that it’s time to heal the Mintoff scar, has led to a slew of indignant reactions underlining how almost next to impossible this task is.

Is it really that difficult to speak dispassionately about the man? I think the answer, at least for those who are too emotionally involved, is yes.  Diehard Labour supporters consider it a sacrilege to criticise him, because they still consider him the best thing to have ever happened to Malta…to some, he is their god.  They are, I’m afraid, living in a state of denial, like when someone dear to you does something very, very wrong, and you cannot bring yourself to admit it.  But by pointing out where Mintoff went wrong does not obliterate what he did right; unfortunately, they  cannot see this.

Nationalist supporters, on the other hand, brought up on a brainwashed diet to hate Mintoff for his authoritarian-style of leadership and all the deprivations he made us endure because of his misguided economic policies, have a violent Pavlovian reaction at the mere mention of his name. To some, even the words ‘chocolate’ and ‘toothpaste’ can never be spoken of in simple terms without them recalling how we lacked the imported brands of these items in the 70s/80s, but had to make due with the inferior quality of the ‘made in Malta’ versions instead.  These two items have taken on an almost iconic status, symbolising everything they abhor about the Labour party.

Neither side wants to give an inch – it’s either Mintoff the Saviour or Mintoff  the Monster. And because the tug of war between these two extreme descriptions is relentless, there does not seem to be any willingness to find any middle ground.

Can we ever got over all this? Do some people even want to?  Will Mintoff’s era always provoke such extreme reactions that we will be forced to leave it alone and not touch it for a while until time defuses passion and removes our blinkers?

Judging from the red-hot reactions to Ms Chetcuti’s article, that’s what it looks like.

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