Those Who Seek to Protect a Privilege Forgets That "Good" Can be Defined in Many Ways

Outside the imposing, vertical stone walls that enclose the hilltop fortress jutting into the sea is another Valletta. There, the few tourists battle crumbling passageways hugging the rugged coastline, cold sweat breaking out as they come face to face with narrow paths where their feet are inches away from a steep drop into the raging ocean below. But they also come out into a small seaside community, where small fishing boats lie next to wooden houses and storage units, unchanged in decades. Families gather, surely away from their main inland houses, to barbecue, feed stray cats, and greet intrepid travelers passing by.

It is a different world from inside the wall, where, even in the chilly February winds, crowds throng expensive restaurants and bars, powering Malta's ever-vibrant tourist economy. For most visitors, the little community outside the wall is invisible, not worthy of their time, and even a bit unfortunate. So close to all the action, but just happened to be in the wrong place to enjoy the economic fruits of the city's success. Deserving of sympathy, the "outside-dwellers" may be. But no amount of the sliver of fleeting attention given changes the reality of being on the wrong side, doomed to failure.

That is a sort of condescending attitude reminiscent of so many other communities that never managed to access the inside of these walls. Despite the care Europe has shown toward illegal immigrants in the past, the days of unquestioned welcome are over, as even mainstream parties talk of the most expedient and humane ways to deport and prevent further arrivals. Even as Bad Bunny celebrated Latin American culture during the Super Bowl, America increasingly sees Spanish-speakers, even those with citizenship, as culturally alien.

Such a political trend is tantamount to complete acquiescence with keeping those inside and outside the walls permanently separate, with being on the inside no longer a goal to work toward through intelligence, diligence, and meritocracy, but a privilege secured through being on the right side across generations. The noble goals of putting the citizens, the natives, and certain social classes based on ethnic and cultural backgrounds first are shutting the few remaining gates linking the inside and the outside, preventing the interactions that create diversity and a more dynamic ecosystem for innovation.

Yet, a quick stroll outside the Valletta walls shows that, by barricading themselves on the other side, the "inside-dwellers" are missing out so much. The sea may rage, but the fertility of its fast currents creates bountiful breeding grounds for fish, attracting many eager to catch some dinner. The vertical cliffs into the sea even support dwellings carved into the centuries-old stones, no doubt offering unparalleled views of gorgeous sunsets. The increasing noise, commercialism, and homogeneity of the offerings that Valletta's streets offer are not found here. 

Malta is no longer a secret to the well-heeled across Europe and the rest of the world. But even a short distance away from where the travelers congregate, secret spots of tranquility still exist. And perhaps that is an allegory for all the walls out there in the world. Drunken on privilege, those on the inside never have the time to reflect on what the outside has to offer. To protect their privilege, they need to focus on keeping the gates shut and the worlds separate. But just by encouraging themselves and others to go out to the other side, they might have the chance to scratch away the negative first impressions.

Because sometimes resources can be so well-hidden, enjoyed by so few, that they even elude the very definition of "resources" in the majority's way of thinking about what is useful. And just as a raging sea provides fish and the cliffs provide a soul-nourishing view, dropping the pretenses of what is good and beneficial may even offer a completely new way of living, grounded on rethinking what it really means to be privileged. And when the moment of eureka arrives, one would realize that those walls supposedly defending privilege actually form the outer limits of a prison, both mental and social.

To escape, we need to be quick. The outside of Valletta's walls can still be accessed by sets of nondescript stairs, but climbing out of most walls is not as easy. Getting out can mean social ostracization from friends and family members who are confused by the reasoning behind abandoning the "good" life. Laws will catch up, preventing interactions between those on the two sides, lest the renegade "inside-dweller" becomes an accomplice in the sinister plots of outsiders sneaking in. Before the gates completely close, minds need to be changed so that more are convinced that the gates should stay open.