Despicable us - our true colours come out!

You'll probably think we are two despicable beings who simply relish lambasting everyone and everything. Well, we think it's high time we came clean. In reality, we do like some people (saying we like everyone would sound too presumptuous, huh?) and we like many, many things (this bit is very true!)

It's hilarious, though, that many find it so wacky that people like us actually complain about certain things; that we actually pan what's gone wrong. Then let us let you in on a little secret here: just as many of you out there think we are odious and abhorrent because we criticise, we shall inform you that we think the really wacky ones are those who always nod and never dare say that something was really appalling.

No wait - they would, but not in your face.

Yes, because the crude reality that many of you seem to prefer ignoring is that these islands are brimming with hypocrites. Many won't tell you that something's ugly, stupid or astoundingly boring. And if you think they do it merely to be nice to you and because they are afraid of hurting your feelings, well, you couldn't have got it more wrong. The Maltese - yes, wait for it - are just afraid of airing their opinion because of the 'consequences'. (The many comments coming in under the 'anonymous' nickname sort of says a million things!)

Not all of them, mind you. But the majority is.

As a matter of fact, it all boils down to the people's upbringing. Many parents teach their offspring that saying something negative is simply not doable. Or, to be more precise, that saying it in public shan't ever be done - because you know, one day you might need that person. That, and, of course, the fact that "hey be careful, they may be relatives!"

What are the repercussions of this?
It's easy to suss out, really.

Simply switch the TV on. You will be bombarded with many boring shows and programmes. Then, there would be the ads, which are equally horrifying and ridiculous. Why can't they be better? Well, because it's much easier to put up easy, mind-numbing programmes which take little (if any) planning rather than other ones that demand a great deal of effort. Besides, the audience won't bother complaining - they will watch it as that's what we have and moaning is useless. Therefore hits will still be up and producers will actually think they're doing a good job. It's a horrible vicious circle we must do our best to get out of!

In simple, plain English, standards are hard to find in Malta, because hey:

Many people born on these islands seem to have this inborn idea that things in Malta can't be as good as they are abroad because we haven't got enough funds or some other strange reason. Unfortunately, that's not the way to go about these things. We desperately need to up our game if we really want to improve our product.

"And how?" you will probably ask us. Well, we've got to have higher expectations for starters.

Let's have a look at a particular situation that truly accentuates our problems. It's April. In about a week or two the hype surrounding the Eurovision will kick in, again... Then the show comes and the Maltese contestant doesn't make it to the finals, or if he (miraculously) does, he'll do poorly. Then the show goes. And then, like every other year, we'll have to deal with the aftermath.

"As always, the neighbouring countries voted for their neighbours and we've no neighbours so we couldn't have done well." How many times have you heard this? Yes, many. And how many times have you heard people say: "we chose a pathetic song, with disgusting (to be nice) lyrics, of course we fail"? Oh, few will do. Though the former may be true to some extent, we never seem to make an effort to come up with a TRULY good show, we merely hide behind the "we have no neighbours, nobody loves us" excuse.

Same will happen once Ms Daniela Darmanin (aka Miss World Malta 2012) will fail to make it to the top. But hey, why worry? Many people commenting on our previous posts told us that in reality Miss World Malta shan't be beautiful - the important thing is that she feels so. Now, please, what kind of reasoning is that?

You see, those are two tiny examples there, but they succinctly describe how many truly think. It's never our fault - the others have it in for Malta; Malta is too small; Malta has no money: Malta this and Malta that.

Oh, let's all cut the crap, shall we? instead of coming up with boring excuses we should realise that it doesn't take all that much to have something done properly rather than having something just for the sake of organising it.

Yes, we do complain. But everyone should - especially when you live on an island, thus detached from the rest of the world. OK, that's metaphorical, but it renders the idea well. We mustn't be lazy and complacent, for that will mean getting stuck in a rut. And we don't want that, do we?

The Maltese really ought to shrug this 'small island mentality' once and for all. We're no longer a colonial island suffering post-war repercussions. Times have changed, industries have bloomed, and with them, opportunities. Yet, sadly, one thing the Maltese seem to make sure they pass on from generation to generation is a complacent attitude and the ability to feel sorry for themselves at every given opportunity.