Reflecting on Carroll’s tale about the Mad Hatter party

The Mad Hatter and March Hare are fictional characters in Lewis Carroll's 1865 book “Alice Adventures in Wonderland” and its 1871 sequel “Through the Looking-Glass”.. The nonsensical antics of the characters in the Mad Hatter's tea party story serve as a vehicle for the author to explore deeper philosophical and existential themes in Victorian times.

Here are some interpretations of the deeper meanings behind their nonsensical behaviour and how can it relate to the present-day scenario. The absurdity of the tea party can be interpreted as a reflection of the existential confusion experienced by Malta’s citizens when grappling with questions of climate change, power cuts, protection of environment and the true identity as population of TNC’s grows.

Let us not forget “The Dormouse”, a perpetually asleep or groggy creature. He could represent the plight of disenfranchised or displaced populations caught in the crossfire of the aforementioned deadly conflicts.

Words of consolation from the West cannot heal the sufferings of displaced populations, the latter bear the brunt of violence, displacement, and humanitarian crises resulting from the actions of aggressive powers and militant groups.

Of late, locals are being made conscious of a barrage of financial scandals, not to forget the assassination of a blogger who was demonized by the State propaganda and now waits (after six years) for true closure by her family. The mastermind alleged to be behind the ordering of her assassination is still in custody.

Citizens are now becoming immune to abuses in State procurement, including unauthorized public expenditure (the multiple issue of direct orders and loyalists at the helm with six figure salaries).  This makes us conscious of our plight when we witness the growing number of low-wage families who strive to survive the rush to remain solvent till the end of the month’s cycle.

The imaginative story written by Carroll depicts Victorian age Britain in its convoluted absurdity and in doing so, reminds us of a negligent attitude of our resolve to fight climate change, maintain ecological balances, hail sustainability, halt the rise of congested air caused by chaotic “bumper to bumper” traffic.

It is a reality check which shows the futility of trying to impose order and meaning onto an island which is attracting three million plus (majority of low-value tourists) these mostly rent Airbnb).  The nonsensical antics underscore the absurdity of our human endeavours and the ultimately futile quest for rational thinking outside partisan politics.

Housing is now too expensive for low-wage workers and hospitals are brimming with patients, who for lack of space, wait long hours in emergency halls on temporary stretchers.  Observers explore the human quest for meaning and purpose in a seemingly meaningless world with a full-scale war in Ukraine and expanding hostilities in the Middle East. This challenges our sanity, with endless repetition and lack of progress to end such wars, it symbolizes the existential ennui that arises from the search for meaning in an absurd island which boasts of superlative GDP growth.

How can we partake of the surreal setting of Carroll’s party scene when politicians assure us that we are living in a land of milk and honey with low unemployment, controlled prices due to a hushed “Stabbilta” scheme and throw in for good measure lavish handouts to jump-start film industry by the Commissioner of Films.

Banks are reporting bumper profits yet sadly no regulator defends depositors being deprived of recent rate increases advised by ECB amid an indiscriminate barrage of daily charges.  Nobody stops the party and questions how our existence can be interpreted as a critique of social conformity and the oppressive nature of societal norms. The propaganda machine churns news from two exclusive TV stations hoodwinking islanders telling them that we are living in a bubble of perpetual bliss.

Regular issue of cheque payments whets the appetite of party loyalists who reminisce the golden years of “L-Aqwa Zmien” during the brief Joseph Muscat’s interregnum.  Now with only 15 weeks to the highly contested MEP elections, both parties are beating the drums reminding one and all to vote.

A survey by a known Labour pollster predicts a 40,000-vote majority should Joseph Muscat join the race for MEP elections. Castille encourages the populace to embrace the whimsical and fantastical aspects of life, suggesting that adhering to party alliances offers a pathway to liberation from the world’s travails.

Returning to the Mad Hatter tea party, we cannot turn a blind eye that a paid piper (a young Economist paid by direct order) made us believe how the irrational funding of €145 million to international film crews is beneficial to enhance our GDP-returning a miraculous multiple of three. A miracle of two fishes and five loaves feeding the crowd.

Any serious economist challenges this fake conclusion (as expected the Tourism Ministry barred study from publication). The absurd and nonsensical atmosphere of the tea party could represent the surreal and disconnected nature of geopolitical discourse surrounding conflicts in regions like the Middle East. Like the characters at the tea party, political actors and stakeholders may engage in negotiations that seem divorced from reality and lack meaningful progress.

The Russian aggression is now in its second year. There are over 30,000 casualties reported in Gaza. It seems peace is an illusion where Malta stays on the fence, claiming absolute neutrality.

The irony is that both political leaders have not missed a moment of publicity to be seen photographed - welcoming a sick Gaza girl arriving with her father for medical treatment. Despite efforts to resolve conflicts and establish peace in Ukraine and Middle East, the fundamental ideological tensions persist, perpetuating a sense of stagnation and frustration among the affected populations.

Overall, by drawing parallels between the dysfunctional parodies of the Mad Hatter and March Hare and the unprecedented invasion of Ukraine by Russia's warmongering and hostilities in the Middle East, we can gain insight into the absurd credo of Castille’s when recently it started accusing Metsola of war mongering, as she strongly advised that Europe should beef up its defence arsenal.

In conclusion, Carroll’s ingenious story, reflects in a surreal way on some of the extremist figures in Malta being on the right and left ends of the political spectrum. All exhibit irrational and chaotic behaviour.