Alex Andreou

Asking the questions others are too intelligent to ask

Exploding the myth of the feckless, lazy Greeks

Stereotypes and untruths are everywhere, but this economic crisis is not self-inflicted.

By Alex Andreou Published 18 May 2012 12:03

Riot police clash with demonstrators during a protest outside the Greek parliament in Athens, October 2011. Photograph: Getty Images

Maria was born in Paros in 1942. The country was under Nazi occupation. She experienced real fear, real poverty, starvation, bomb raids and executions. She survived the war and went to a Catholic girls’ school. Maria was good at sport and an excellent singer. She left school top of her class, got married, started working for the Archaeological Museum in Mykonos, from where she retired 44 years later at the age of 64 – one year before she was officially supposed to – in order to look after her husband who was dying of pancreatic cancer.

Maria worked two jobs most of her life – times were often hard. She was on PAYE all her life. She contributed to her pension and saved. She raised three children. She sat at her sewing machine many an evening, altering her skirts; so that they wouldn’t look so 50s in the 60s; so that they wouldn’t look so 60s in the 70s.

There are millions like her. She is a typical lazy, feckless Greek woman.

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Here is the first myth: This crisis is made in Greece. It is not. It is the inevitable fallout of the global crisis which started in 2008.

Are there features in the Greek economy which made it particularly vulnerable? Yes – there is rampant corruption, bad management, systemic problems, a black market. All this has been explored ad nauseam. There are other factors, too; rarely mentioned. The crisis came at particularly bad time for Greece – four years after this tiny economy overextended in order to put on a giant Olympics and prove to the world it had “arrived”. When the crisis came, the country lacked the monetary and fiscal mechanisms to deal with it, because of its membership of the single currency.

However, all of the above are contributing factors – nothing more or less. The catalyst was the behaviour of the financial sector after the crisis. Here is what Angela Merkel had to say in February 2010, when the “Greek problem” started to rear its head, as reported by Bloomberg:

German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticized market speculation against the euro, saying that financial institutions bailed out with public funds are exploiting the budget crisis in Greece and elsewhere. In a speech in Hamburg, she hit out at currency speculators, who she said are taking advantage of debt piled up by euro-area governments to combat the financial crisis. “The debt that had to be accumulated, when it was going badly, is now becoming the object of speculation by precisely those institutions that we saved a year-and-a-half ago. That’s very difficult to explain to people in a democracy who should trust us.”

And since it was difficult to explain, it appears, she gave up trying.

The crisis is a financial one. It is not. It is a political crisis and an ideological one. The difficulties of an economy the size of Greece (1.8 percent of eurozone GDP, 0.47 per cent of World GDP according to 2010 IMF figures) should hardly register as a blip on the global radar.

The primary reason for the widespread panic is the interconnectedness of the banking sector – the very same systemic weakness which caused the domino effect in 2008 and which the world has collectively failed to address or regulate.

The secondary reason is the eurozone’s refusal to allow Greece to proceed with what most commentators have seen as an inevitable default for many months now.

Both these factors are down to political decisions, not sound fiscal policy.

Greeks are lazy. This underlies much of what is said about the crisis, the implication presumably being that our lax Mediterranean work-ethic is at the heart of our self-inflicted downfall. And yet, OECD data show that in 2008, Greeks worked on average 2120 hours a year. That is 690 hours more than the average German and 467 more than the average Brit. Only Koreans work longer hours. The paid leave entitlement in Greece is on average 23 days, lower than the UK’s minimum 28 and Germany’s whopping 30.

Greeks retire early. The figure of 53 years old as an average retirement age is being bandied about. So much so, that it is has become folk-fact. It originates from a lazy comment on the New York Times website. It was then repeated by Fox News and printed in other publications. Greek civil servants have the option to retire after 17.5 years of service, but this is on half benefits. The figure of 53 is a misinformed conflation of the number of people who choose to do this (in most cases to go on to different careers) and those who stay in public service until their full entitlement becomes available.

Looking at Eurostat’s data from 2005 the average age of exit from the labour force in Greece (indicated in the graph below as EL for Ellas) was 61.7; higher than Germany, France or Italy and higher than the EU27 average. Since then Greece have had to raise the minimum age of retirement twice under bail-out conditions and so this figure is likely to rise further.

Greeks want the bail-out but not the austerity that goes with it. This is a fundamental untruth. Greeks are protesting because they do not want the bail-out at all (or the foreign intrusion that goes with it). They have already accepted cuts which would be unfathomable in the UK. There is nothing left to cut. The corrupt, the crooks, the wicked, our glorious leaders, have already transferred their wealth to Luxembourg banks. They will not suffer. Meanwhile Medecins du Monde are handing out food packages in central Athens.

Greece’s total annual deficit is €53bn Euros. Of that, our primary budget deficit is, in fact, under €5bn. The other €48bn is servicing the debt, including that of the two bail-outs, with one third being purely interest. Europe is not bailing out Greece. It is bailing out the European banks which increasingly unwisely gave her loans. Greece is asked to accept full responsibility as a bad borrower, but nobody is examining the contribution of the reckless lenders.

Western politicians have developed a penchant for standing on balconies and washing their hands like Pontius Pilate; lecturing from a great height about houses on fire with no exits. This conveniently draws a veil over the truth – that our house may have been badly built, but it was the arsonists of Wall Street and the Square Mile that poured petrol through our letterbox and started this fire.

Nassim Nicholas Taleb is the Lebanese-American philosopher who formulated the theory of “Black Swan Events” – unpredictable, unforeseen occurrences which have a huge impact and can only be explained afterwards. Last year he was asked by Jeremy Paxman whether people taking to the streets in Athens was a Black Swan Event. He replied: “The real Black Swan Event is that people are not rioting against the banks in London and New York.”

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Maria has never dodged a tax in her life. She doesn’t drive a Porsche or own a yacht. She hasn’t voted in ten years – “they’re all the same”, she says, “liars and crooks”. Her pension has been cut to €440 Euros a month. Her benefits have not been paid in almost a year. She faces the same rampant inflation that we do. She is exhausted, but not defeated.

Maria grows as much fruit and vegetable as she can in her small “pervoli”. She keeps chickens so that her grandchildren can have the freshest eggs. She still sings beautifully. She battles daily with Alzheimer’s, looks at pictures of her late husband and smiles, sits at her sewing machine, still, and modifies the same old skirts.

There are millions like her. She is a typical strong, defiant Greek woman, my mother.

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Tags: Greece Economy

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123 comments

Sat, 2012-11-24 18:26 — Marco Bouchard (not verified)

The problem with "the economy" is that it is man made and it's based on debt. The fractional reserve system is used all around the world to create money out of thin air and then charge you interest, which is money that isn't created, and so it requires you to take it from someone else. That's why bankruptcies are unavoidable because even if all debts were repaid with interest, there wouldn't be enough money in circulation to do so. This is not some "conspiracy", it's a fact! Look at the video "Zeitgeist Moving Forward"

Wed, 2012-10-10 17:19 — Kiriakos (not verified)

What really stinks is that Russia was and still is willing to loan Greece money at much more favorable interest than the EC/ECB/IMF and such loan is not allowed by the current agreement with Greece's European and American partners. If you don't want the Russians to gain influence in Greece, fine, but don't make a bad situation worse with a high interest rate.

Sun, 2012-11-04 05:29 — Rickie (not verified)

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Probe Thermometer

Wed, 2012-09-05 08:06 — menositu (not verified)

Why in Germany, most of the young mothers can work onky half a day for taking care about their childs? Why in the others UE countries, especially in Eastern part, this is not possible because you lose your job. The real truth is that the reachest countries start the economic war against the world. It is a modern form of slavery.

Sun, 2012-08-05 18:41 — EddieValiant (not verified)

You ignore the fact that those statistics do not take into account the fact that other countries have more part-time workers than Greece. The OECD data are average working hours per worker. Labor participation in The Netherlands is very high and many Dutch women work part-time. That lowers the average working hours per worker in Holland. But because Labor participation is much higher in The Netherlands than in Greece, it will change the OECD picture you showed completely.

Apparently, you were not asking the questions others are too intelligent to ask.

A bit stupid, don't you think?

Mon, 2012-07-30 21:15 — pig (not verified)

just cos a bunch of politicians felt left out on the sidelines "invented" the euro to try and capture historical relevance... way to go bro

Tue, 2012-07-24 08:58 — Mex (not verified)

Terrible the Greeks are not lazy just bone idle.

Fri, 2012-09-07 01:33 — New statesmanArgyro (not verified)

Who's BONE IDLE sir/madam are not the Greeks but you and all your lazy, capitalistic, consummerist, beer drinking >> Let's exchange places if you are in doubt!!! If you do manage to survive then open your sewer of a mouth and critcize!!! Most of us work 2-3 jobs to make ends meet and if you think we bask in the sun drinking ouzo-you don't know the first thing about us!! However, if we do find the time OF COURSE WE WILL LAZE AWAY IN THE SUN, SIPPING COOL OUZO AND MAKING THE MOST OF OUR HEAVENLY CLIMATE AND OUR FATE!! Unlike you, you depressed, computerised, robot like <<<>>>>>whose idea of the sun is an ultra violate lamp to help you tan...BET YOU CAN'T SIP OUZO IN THAT!! Oups forgot....our traitorous politicians got us in this and YOUR BANKS......we would definitely welcome our 2.500 century previous currency the DRACHMA just so that you can BE LAZY TOO!

Tue, 2012-07-24 08:58 — Mex (not verified)

Terrible the Greeks are not lazy just bone idle.

Tue, 2012-07-24 08:58 — Mex (not verified)

Terrible the Greeks are not lazy just bone idle.

Tue, 2012-07-24 08:58 — Mex (not verified)

Terrible the Greeks are not lazy just bone idle.

Tue, 2012-06-26 13:59 — Tom34 (not verified)

Blaming the Greeks for being lazy (which is obviously not true) is nonsense and unfair. I would say go fight for your own rights to work less and get paid more instead of envying somebody else's good life.

Second point, Greece is not Europe. Greek citizens were not asked if they want to become a member of the EU and the Eurozone. Me as a Greek I feel that I have nothing in common with Europe culturally. Forcing me to change my way of life and adopt Western standards is fascism at its best. This is called cultural imperialism.

Tue, 2012-06-19 01:36 — Dr. Wom Bhatt (not verified)

It seems puzzling to me that so many commentators concentrate on the collective noun, "Greeks" in this discussion. As Mr. Andreou points out in discussing the plight of his "mum" ( may Zeus bless her ) there are different groups of Greeks. I would suggest that some have the interests of the people at heart and others have other interests in mind, that have nothing to do with nationality. The same applies in all "sovereign nations". The elite in all countries have their own interests at heart. Ironically it is the ordinary folks who prop them up both financially and through their acquiescence and /or ignorance, politically.

Mr. Andreou points out that Ms. Merkel drew attention to the speculation by formerly "bailed out" banking entities which has contributed to the current crisis concerning Greece.

The behaviour of these "banksters" reminds me of a story I heard a while back which goes something like this:

A turtle manoeuvred her way towards the water's edge of a flowing stream. When she got there she found a scorpion waiting disconsolately. When asked why she was unhappy the scorpion replied that she needed to get to the other side but couldn't swim. She was stuck. Being of generous demeanour the turtle offered to carry the hapless traveller over on her back. So the scorpion clambered on to the turtle's back and slid down the front of the shell to hold onto her neck. The turtle then entered the water and made good progress across the stream. Until she got to the middle that is. At that point she felt a painful jab to her neck. Realising that the scorpion had stung her she cried out in disbelief, " what have you done, I will die from your poison and you will drown. Where is the sense in that ?"

The scorpion replied, " What can I say? I am a scorpion and that's what I do".

Likewise the banksters. They are poisonous and their activities are poisonous for many who deal with them. But that is the nature of what they are. Unlike the scorpion in the story though they always seem to be rescued after inflicting damage on their hosts. They go on to bigger and better things.

And "everyman" always pays the bill.

Thu, 2012-06-07 09:52 — lolgreece (not verified)

While I completely sympathise with Alex's efforts to keep racism and stereotypes out of this debate, I should also point out that his reading of the working time figures is wrong: http://www.lolgreece.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/exploding-myth-of-exploding-...

As is his reading of the retirement age figures:
http://lolgreece.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/dont-take-bait-alex-they-are-mas...

Tue, 2012-06-05 12:23 — Koulouris (not verified)

What a lucid and meaningful account by Alex Andreou of the manner in which western governments and their media patsies devalue the Greek experience. Ironically, it's at the peril of their own citizens, who stand to become these global banks next target.

Thu, 2012-05-31 06:50 — g.p. (not verified)

What follows, is not mine. It's a comment published earlier this week but i really think everyone has to read it.:

TUE, 2012-05-22 15:40 — KYRA (NOT VERIFIED)
My partner and I both work (have always worked) in the private sector with decent (by comparison to other Greek) salaries. We rent a modest apartment and spend a maximum of 7 days away from home, on holidays, every year. Yes, we both pay our taxes and neither of us has a bank loan or credit cards of any sort. Since 2008 we have wanted a baby but have waited patiently for our finances to be able to accommodate a third mouth. Despite the fact that neither of us has lost our jobs we are battling to pay our monthly rent. For the last year and a half we have foregone all types of recreation and entertainment including restaurants, cafes and cinemas. This year we won't be going on our summer vacation either. My partner who is self-employed works 7 days a week averaging 12hr work days, we barely see each other. I have many friends and acquaintances in the same boat. We don't ever see ourselves making the families we dreamed of because we can't afford to sustain ourselves -forget raising children. Whoever is to blame, the above is what they can be blamed of - 2 (of the many) average people who cannot have a family and ovaries that cannot wait for them to sort it out. The economic crisis goes by many names depending on one's perspective. For me it's an emotional crisis: everyday I think about the child I cannot have, not the yacht we never had to lose. No, those people who had yachts, put their money in them and shipped them to other ports. It's people like us who are paying figuratively and literally for this money war.

Mon, 2012-05-28 16:33 — Sophistopia (not verified)

You are right that this is not a financial crisis at origin, but a political and ideological one. You then go on to pin the blame on the arrangements surrounding the Euro, but this misses the point. The problem in Greece is one afflicting all western democracies. Everyone wants to live beyond their means and the liberal ruling elite are seeking to retain their grip on power by pandering to their interest. Essentially they are trading other peoples's money and the health of their countries for power. What a recipe for corruption and decline!

Tue, 2012-05-22 15:40 — Kyra (not verified)

My partner and I both work (have always worked) in the private sector with decent (by comparison to other Greek) salaries. We rent a modest apartment and spend a maximum of 7 days away from home, on holidays, every year. Yes, we both pay our taxes and neither of us has a bank loan or credit cards of any sort. Since 2008 we have wanted a baby but have waited patiently for our finances to be able to accommodate a third mouth. Despite the fact that neither of us has lost our jobs we are battling to pay our monthly rent. For the last year and a half we have foregone all types of recreation and entertainment including restaurants, cafes and cinemas. This year we won't be going on our summer vacation either. My partner who is self-employed works 7 days a week averaging 12hr work days, we barely see each other. I have many friends and acquaintances in the same boat. We don't ever see ourselves making the families we dreamed of because we can't afford to sustain ourselves -forget raising children. Whoever is to blame, the above is what they can be blamed of - 2 (of the many) average people who cannot have a family and ovaries that cannot wait for them to sort it out. The economic crisis goes by many names depending on one's perspective. For me it's an emotional crisis: everyday I think about the child I cannot have, not the yacht we never had to lose. No, those people who had yachts, put their money in them and shipped them to other ports. It's people like us who are paying figuratively and literally for this money war.

Tue, 2012-05-22 12:18 — Will Podmore (not verified)

Splendid article, thank you.

Syriza’s leader Alexis Tsipras says he wants Greece to stay in the euro, but will not support more cuts. That is a bit like wanting to stay on the rack, but not wanting the pain. The euro means austerity, means destruction. Greece should get out of the euro, default, devalue and then rebuild, as Argentina did.

Tue, 2012-05-29 09:20 — cc (not verified)

Um, where are you fromWill? Because I am Greek, and believe if you had done your homework on what will happen to Greece and the rest of the economy if we leave the euro you wouldnt be saying what you are saying

Mon, 2012-05-21 13:49 — WORLD REVOLUTION (not verified)

My dear friends is pointless to discuss what the Greek ppl is or isn't, decades of corruption and bad governing in a widespread basis all over the world lead humanity to this point, fun fact about this is that while we discuss who's to blame the real culprits of this worldwide crisis are laughing while sipping their expensive wines and smoking their lavish cigars and spiting on our heads, the roles of the banks investment groups in this crisis has never been properly explained to the public, but the old sayings are right, "divide to conquer". while we discuss who's to blame about this they run away with money, like my dear ex-prime minister Mr. José Socrates who has seemingly amassed the lovable sum of about 1 billion € at the expense of the portuguese ppl, has anyone done anything about that? NO!! so why bother....

Tue, 2012-05-22 00:14 — Risky Business (not verified)

When banks lend to an individual, company or government, they assess the risk and lend accordingly. Unfortunately banks seem to think that government loans are risk free which is just untrue. Unfortunately bail outs just reinforce this. The only solution is for Greece to default and effectively file bankruptcy. Greece will become an unacceptable loan risk thus without external funding will be forced to get its budget in order to become self sufficient/self funding. Self funding will be far easier without the enormous interest burden. The banks just need to wear the downside of poor risk assessment and stop relying on other governments to cover their errors in judgement. Unless they are prepared to invade or repossess the Acropolis, what can they do? They may scream for their pound of flesh but not one drop of blood can they take. Imagine the outcry if they tried!

Mon, 2012-05-21 11:14 — David G (not verified)

It seems to me that the Greek people are in the most dreadful position one can imagine: Living on the edge of oblivion everyday for years now, pawns in a particularly high-stakes global financial game, with the weight of the world on their shoulders, punished for their governments' sins, every part of their small imperfect society analysed throughout the world, facing the hatred of so many people because of the 'bailouts' and constantly reminded that they should feel collective shame for activities in which many, like Maria, probably have not participated.
As the severe austerity they endure destroys lives and their economy with no light at the end of the tunnel, I ask you what would you do if you were in their shoes? If I was a Greek voter, I would probably say 'Enough is enough. I'm finally going to jump into this abyss and the hell to the rest of you haters'.
Give them a break. They have enough to worry about without the ridicule and stereotypes.

Mon, 2012-05-21 15:01 — sorry i'm greek (not verified)

Well said, greek haters always the same unfortunately

Sun, 2012-05-20 21:26 — Greek (not verified)

In the past I tried to educate the hordes of media stooges that love the Greek buzzword. Tried to show them who is responsible for this mess and why really the Greek debt is an artificial pile up of numbers created by the Shylocks of JP Morgan and other American banksters.

Just like in the movie 'Network', I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!

You can take your euro and shove it. If you don't want to understand Greeks, then remain in your pitiful ignorance.

Sun, 2012-05-20 17:17 — Victor Panagi... (not verified)

Today Greece, tomorow Spain, next week Italy or maybe France.
It's about time Finacial culprits (GS & other Bankers) stopped attacking and Mocking People as if they are just numbers. Stop the austerity measures and honestly help these people stand on their and find their way.

Sun, 2012-05-20 16:57 — GreekBoss (not verified)

Greeks are lazy , they retire early , and they don't like paying taxes. True or not I don't see how the typical Greek worker making 1500 Euro ( on a good month) a month are responsible and liable for 500 billion Euro of debt owed to banks , bond holders and hedge funds. If anyone can logically explain how I'd love to hear it.

Sun, 2012-05-20 09:18 — Yelof (not verified)

As the cliche says there are lies, damned lies and statistics. In order to understand why Greece is in such trouble despite your statistics you must understand those who compile these amazing statistics. The Greek statistics office has many problems of its own that call its credibility into question.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/12/16/143846133/the-friday-podcast-h...
The sad fact is that Maria and many like her have been let down by their government and civil service.

Sun, 2012-05-20 08:36 — Damon (not verified)

Your anecdotes about your mother are utterly irrelevant. You can find decent people in every country. So what?

Your mother's pension is 440 euros? Agreed, that's not much. The monthly pension in Russia, where I live, is about 200 euros per month.

"It is bailing out the European banks which increasingly unwisely gave her loans. Greece is asked to accept full responsibility as a bad borrower, but nobody is examining the contribution of the reckless lenders."

So, if you couldn't afford the loans, why did you take them? Ah, it was the wicked banks' fault, for offering you cash in the first place. And if I get fat from eating too many burgers, it's McDonalds' fault for selling them to me, eh?

"Greek civil servants have the option to retire after 17.5 years of service, but this is on half benefits."

And yet you seem unable to grasp that retiring after 17.5 years, EVEN on half benefits, is a disgrace. I wish I could.

I despise silly stereotypes about feckless Greeks as much as you do. Greeks are not lazy. But they must accept responsibility for the consequences of their cock-eyed political culture. I see that you're probably going to elect a hard-left government in June. Smart move. And when that ends in catastrophe, as it will, you'll have nobody to blame but yourselves.

Tue, 2012-06-12 12:31 — madameG (not verified)

Damon (nice name btw), the following from me:

First of all, i see some melodramatic tone perhaps, yes, but nothing irrelevant about this anecdote: he is stating already in the title that this article is basically about the reputation of greeks, not some in-depth financial analysis, and uses his mother as an example, clearly implying that this is how the vast majority of greek people go through their lives more or less, and anyway certainly not with the excesses they are accused for.
Then, i do understand your "ethical" point, but Banks are not Mc Donald's. Mc Donald's has nothing to risk by selling me food. Loans are , or should be, risky business, that's why it pays off well. They wouldn't give YOU all the loans u ask for if they didn't make sure u can pay back, would they?
For another thing, it is not the authors intention to cancel the faults of the greek political system and society. He is admitting those immediately, in order not to focuse on them, as they have already been analysed to disgust - and i think hardly anyone can disagree with that. And at this point i would like to add that the greek people already ARE paying harshly for those faults and will be paying, there is no escaping this. The point is that overfocusing on those faults is underfocusing on other, at least equally important factors, creating stereotypes, basically pushing the blame for the worlds problems on the weakest - which is a real paradoxon. Paying to fix is one thing and paying to punish (for what crime exactly?) another.
I dont know what Mr Andreou is going to vote for in the coming elections. I do know that the situation in Greece at the moment is a trap, greek people see clearly there is no recovery under those conditions (and all important economists this time agree that if the dealing with the crisis doesn't change, there will be a default sooner or later, even if the conservatives win and obey), and fear the cataclysmic consequences of an exit too. They are literally forced to suicide and at the same time blackmailed to vote for the corrupt old politicians who brought things there in the first place. In such a hopeless situation i think some disregarding of fear and a turn for the fresh politicians is natural, even if they are not terribly trustworthy. I don't think greeks naively believe in being miraculously saved from the pain by the lefts, but more likely simply need to be given some hope for some future, plus the dignity back, that they were deprived from. I am not sure myself what would be the right thing to do, i m not sure there is any at all, at least in the hands of the greek voters.

Wed, 2012-05-23 23:07 — stateswomen (not verified)

I don't agree that the author's story about her mother is utterly irrelevant. I realize it is very subjective yet she probably included this profile in order to correct the racist perspective people have of Greeks. Why does anyone take a loan? To survive, of course. To buy groceries and keep a roof over one's head, especially when benefits are cut.

I doubt highly that Greeks can merely accept the consequences of their cock-eyed political culture. It seems to me that regardless of how these people vote, the corruption that lies beneath this "democratic" society will keep the oppressors in power.

Wed, 2012-05-23 23:07 — stateswomen (not verified)

Wed, 2012-05-23 23:06 — stateswomen (not verified)

Mon, 2012-05-21 03:33 — George Lou (not verified)

I would like to reply to Damon - the Russian. I am a Greek who has spent the last 32 years in America, came to go to school - university and I stayed.
First of all the corruption in Greece is as old as the country. I remember visiting Greece in 2000 with my family and thinking how much longer they will be able to continue like this. I gave them 10 years.
Anyway - even in America you may get a pension after 15-17 years of work but after you reach retirement age of 67. Under some difficult circumstances you may get disability at 55 , and yes early retirement at 62. Then they keep telling us that the government may NOT be able to keep their promise of paying us the pension therefore we all use the 401K-retirement where we contribute our pre-tax money and some companies match up to 6%. Retirement they tell us is the individual's responsibility - not the government's or the corporation's.
Greek Tragedy is unfolding . Greeks must pay the price. For years they never paid income tax, federal , state and local taxes , property and sales taxes. No matter what your position is in America everyone fears and respects the IRS ( Internal Revenue service) - paying income tax.
in Greece the government promised a lot , gave a lot to its people like - 14 salaries a year - now the time has come for everyone to face up to their responsibility. I bet Maria never paid property tax. Here comes the bill for 450 Euro , how is she going to pay that? ( I know people here , who sell the house they lived in for many decades because they can no longer afford the taxes. .
One thing I know is that responsibility starts at home. The answer for the new and old generation is live below your means and save as much as possible. This it seems applies to all people in the World.

Fri, 2012-09-07 01:51 — New statesmanArgyro (not verified)

Geia sou Georgie!! Do you call yourself a Greek or a Yenitsaro?? I think the second!!

Fri, 2012-09-07 01:51 — New statesmanArgyro (not verified)

Geia sou Georgie!! Do you call yourself a Greek or a Yenitsaro?? I think the second!!

Wed, 2012-05-23 23:09 — stateswomen (not verified)

living below your means - what a brilliant concept. Re-read Maria's article and you will see her mother kept the same clothing for herself for decades, simply altering them so they would look fashionable. Is that living below your means enough for you?

Sun, 2012-05-20 20:11 — antonia2 (not verified)

Try watching the humiliation of your country every day... try wondering how you re gonna raise your children in a place where other countries rule and command, try watching the number of the homeless rise every day, passing by countless beggars while you cross the streets of your hometown... Do you think that your government would ever give a sh*t about you if their well-being and wealth depended on your misery? Don't pass judgement as if political correctness is the answer to all the problems of humanity... Become more of a human being with critical thinking...

Sun, 2012-05-20 10:55 — Poetjanstie (not verified)

Damon (Not Verified), your, albeit rather selective comments, are appreciated I'm sure, but you do need to look at the whole picture. Because I have far better things to do with my time than to go through this exceptional article line by line and educate a narrow mind about life as it is for a vast majority of people, not just in Greece, but the wold over, then I shan't waste my time.

That is all I am going to say to you.

Sun, 2012-05-20 07:51 — David G (not verified)

I am glad that I have found this piece. Some of the comments below suggest that the anger held by some towards all 'Greeks' has prevented them from actually reading the article.
Our media, with slanted programs like Go Greek For A Week (Channel 4) and all too acceptable sweeping statements such as ' Greeks don't pay any taxes' have compounded stereotypes and instilled, in many people, a sense of self-righteous indignation towards 'the Greeks'.
The vast majority of hard working Greeks now suffer the financial consequences of the crisis with the double injustice of being personally blamed for it.
We need more articles like this.

Sun, 2012-05-20 06:50 — capt, morelli (not verified)

must make the blood boil of every honest greek horace shut that bloody baliaka player up
l

Sun, 2012-05-20 06:50 — capt, morelli (not verified)

must make the blood boil of every honest greek horace shut that bloody baliaka player up
l

Sun, 2012-05-20 00:19 — clyber (not verified)

As a non-Greek having lived in Greece for 25 years,I have seen a lot from an outsider's point of view.I love Greece and her people and in many ways there is still a lifestyle in Greece which the rest of the world has either lost in it's race to "progress",or never had in the first place.The Greek attitude to life can teach us all a few lessons about enjoying the simple things in life and that you don't need every gadget under the sun to be happy.
I remember a different Greece when life was more un-complicated and one could travel around the islands on the smell of an oily rag.I also remember when the banks first started bombarding the airwaves with advertising back in the 90's.What some people may not realise is that most Greeks back then had no experience with the concept of borrowing money from banks,12 months interest-free loans etc etc.
I think it's fair to say that many people were sucked in and swept along with this new concept of living on credit and the clever advertising at the time really made it sound like "free money".
Although I have known Greeks who will always try to outsmart the system and dodge whatever taxes they can,I must add that they are heavily out-weighed by honest,hard-working,family orientated individuals with whom I have deep sympathy right now.
These are the innocent victims of whatever has caused this situation and I'm getting a little tired of hearing opinions of different people around the world judging "Greeks" for the current situation.Please let's all remember that any nation is made up of individuals and it is wrong to "throw everybody in the same pot" when talking about any nation or group of people.
It is not acceptable to label any race,religion,gender or whatever as being this or being that.Most of us are still decent,honest people just trying to get by and earn a bit of free time to spend and enjoy with our families and "Greeks" are no exception.
Thank you for your article.Your mother sounds like many people I have had the privilege to know over the years and whatever happens in the future,and whatever is the ultimate outcome of this present mess,I do hope these dear old people do not lose their "meagre" pensions whilst the crooks and politicians spirit their fortunes out of Greece.
In a nutshell,there are good and bad people everywhere,so maybe we should all remember that before judging 'The Greek",or 'The Asian"or The Jew,The Muslim,The Obese,The Gay etc etc etc...A Greek citizen is not guilty of tax evasion,laziness,deception,or anything else just by his/her Nationality.

Wed, 2012-05-23 16:13 — Karen G (not verified)

Well said Clyber, I have also have lived in Greece for over 27 years and I couldn`t have put it any better myself. Shame on prejudice small minded people.

Sun, 2012-05-20 16:58 — Victor Panagiotakopoulos (not verified)

Thank You for your kind and scincere words by just saying the truth about us Greeks! Thank You very much on behalf of the people of Greece. Thank You for the solidarity You offer us!
Thank You!

Sun, 2012-05-20 16:57 — Victor Panagiotakopoulos (not verified)

Thank You for your kind and scincere words by just saying the truth about us Greeks! Thank You very much on behalf of the people of Greece. Thank You for the solidarity You offer us!
Thank You!

Sat, 2012-05-19 22:11 — rain (not verified)

Go out and enjoy yourself for the end is nigh. Greece has already being handed a (£95bn) bailout deal just over a year ago. In return, Greece committed to wide-ranging public-sector cutbacks to bring its deficit under control . The Greeks promptly had a dickey-fit and rioted: screamed can’t pay wouldn't pay. Now there’s talk of another bailout that could be as large as the original package, perhaps made up of €60bn of additional funding and €60bn from asset sales. Greece's debts are because of Greece's own choices no one else , there used to be a saying in the former Soviet Union, `the state pretends to pay us and we pretend to work ‘something similar happened in Greece, debt isn't bad but being unable to re-pay debt is. It's bad for Greece, it's bad for Britain and it may prove devastating for the European political Union.

Sun, 2012-05-20 20:39 — antonia2 (not verified)

Let's suppose you lost your job and couldn't pay your mortgage or any other loans... or that you went bankrupt and ended completely and utterly broke... would you still have these views, I wonder...?

Sat, 2012-05-19 22:05 — Mad (not verified)

No wonder Greece is in deep trouble. This article suggests most Greeks are in denial...

After all, the Greeks lied about their debt, got Goldman Sachs to help conceal it, can't collect taxes and have an army three times too large (re-equipped at great cost), three times the civil servants they need and a cavalier attitude to paying taxes..

According to the writer , it's ALL the EU's fault....