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Meanwhile In Greece, "Emotional Apathy Sinking In"
By Pantelis Boukalas ok Kathimerini
Emotional apathy sinking in
In the past five years, despite consecutive “bailout programs,” or maybe because of them, the terms “last chance,” “Grexit,” “ultimatum” and "destruction" have been doing the rounds with exhausting regularity in Greek and international headlines.
To begin with, they are exhausting our souls. They are also exhausting the country’s economy, which could not have withstood such a barrage of negativity even if it had been among the strongest in Europe. And that it is not has been acknowledged even by the most fervent champions of the famous “success story” which left Greece unable to meet its current obligations.
Whether these proclamations of doom are based on reality are blown out of proportion or invented is neither here not there because their effect remains the same – corrosive. And, unfortunately or fortunately, we cannot all deal with the fear being cultivated in the same way as Former Finance Minister Gikas Hardouvelis, who admitted to spiriting money out of Greece because he was scared. The overwhelming majority of Greeks cannot even dream of the kind of income he made.
The result is that gradually, from one scare to another, many – and especially those who have nothing left to lose – have given up looking for defenses, whether individual or collective, and have given in to the sin of sloth. They are not lazy or indifferent but experiencing emotional apathy. It has become a certainty that our destruction is much worse than a self-fulfilling prophecy: It has been orchestrated from outside. Either to punish the “lazy Greeks” or to warn others being tempted into believing that the European Union – as it is today, as a herald of a policy of austerity that can’t even be backed by the numbers – is repulsive rather than attractive.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker himself believes this to be true. His statements over the weekend in a German newspaper are probably the only comfort we can find in the deluge of negative news and commentaries about Greece, the majority of which are either patronizing and insulting or imperious and coercive. While Juncker naturally blamed Greek politicians for the country’s predicament, he ruled out the possibility of a eurozone exit and also added his concern that “not everyone in the European Union has understood how serious the situation in Greece is.” He was talking about the poverty and the unemployment, and the risks of the social fabric being destroyed if sloth spreads. Do the Europeans refuse to understand or just not care? It is a rhetorical question, especially when we consider how many times we have heard the European establishment that decides the country’s fate express its respect for the Greek people’s sacrifices.
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And, just in case anyone hasn't seen it yet...
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does this have something to do with the fact it takes 5 minutes for a european bartender to get you a beer?
Meanwhile In Greece, "Emotional Apathy Sinking In"
Anyone know why I should care about this?
the last time hitler got our attention
The rise of ISIS in Europe.
http://www.dailystormer.com/adolf-hitler-the-most-lied-about-man-of-all-...
Ja
Tylers- please post a quick story about how the Dow is down almost 300 points. Not much time to ramp it back up to only a 100 point loss, and we need your help desperately.
Because this is the Trailer for the movie coming to a town near you.
Next time -- avoid countries where their native language is exclusively Latin based.
Greek is older then Latin, and not "Latin based"
(not that long ago it was customary for serious scientists to learn both Latin and Ancient Greek)
He thinks he's smarter than most. Common problem in the west.
Counterpoint, I am smarter than most.
Mensa & my mom tells me so.
So you're so smart that you're stupid.
Yeup. Complete moron. You caught me.
"my mom tells me so."
That completely describes you bro.
????
????
????
I've always experienced excellent service in Greece. Well, save for cab rides, but apart from that -- miles better than Italy or Spain, or even France for that matter.
Really?
Being a frequent traveller in Ireland, England, Scotland, France and Italy I get far better bar service there than in North America and I don't have to tip.
You, really don't have a clue.
Have you ever been to Poland the Czech republic or Germany?
I've travelled everywhere and the attitude of the "professional" waiters/bartenders in western europe is the worst. If the tips we not included they would starve. Plus the fools have to pay taxes on their tips.
Edit- Too many socialized bitchez in the developed west. A financial collapse will do their spirits good.
Tipping is for people who think its OK to pay for a drink or meal, and be expected to contribute to the staff's wages. Do you tip the Gas station attendent, or the Bank teller, or the Checkout person in the store? no of course not
Tips being included into your Bill is the expectation of having to pay for the staffs wages. Otherwise a tip is appreciation for good service. I also give my postman, bank teller and others a christmas gift. Could be the reason I always get good service.
I judge you unfortunate because you have never been unfortunate; you have passed through life without an antagonist; no one will know what you can do, – not even yourself.
How iz Greeklish even remotely rooted in Latin ?
OOOoops zorry... Amerikanski?
Niet? Tedeschi?
I never said it was. Check your reading comprehension skills. Its something Ghordo fails on almost daily. Its why I let it slide with him. You however -- do you have an excuse?
Ok so you were just making general remarks to potential tourists?
Do you work for TUI?
Next stop Ulaan Baatar Mensa boy.
I'll keep your seat warm for you.
Even average folk can smell out a farter.
Greeks are getting there, looking at the Investor Sentiment Cycle**
They're still in Denial & Fear, IMO. Next is Desperation & Panic, before they either act and kick ass (riot, hang people), or Capitulate and become totally Despondent.
The following chart applies to many of us here on ZH:
http://www.clinical-depression.co.uk/cycle-of-depression-diagram/
(FYI... Obesity and Chronic Insomnia are inter-related in a vicious circle: one leads to the other and vice versa. Look into if, if it applied to you, as it leads to a host of other health issues)
** http://www.kirkreport.com/2010/09/16/the-investor-sentiment-cycle/ (different 'Kirk')
I'm curious Kirk, where do radiation cannons fit in that diagram?
try a bartender from Ireland mate - those guys in Europe arent bar tenders as you might think it - they are mainly cafe workers
Who cares? Tell the Greeks to pay their bills and their taxes.
Just a little numbers breakdown: it was reported here recently than an estimated $70bln in taxes went uncollected over the last decade. Which is about $7bln per year. Greece is over $400bln in debt. How does that math work out?
Varoufakis was correct initially when he said they can't pay it back.
Then leave the Euro.
Problem is, he was saying we can't pay it back and you should help us. Otherwise the Greek gov can't maintain it's promises to the people. So rather than economic liberty by reducing gov, like a good leftist, he's using his gov power to collect taxes from the few working fools left in the country.
" So rather than economic liberty by reducing gov, like a good leftist, he's using his gov power to collect taxes from the few working fools left in the country."
Well, on the few fools workinon the legal public economy. As I m told, there is a huge black market economy at employs hundreds of thousands.
Greeks and taxes. Thats a joke , right ?
When the gov can borrow all it wants and the debt is unpayable, then having to pay tax is simply oppression of the working class. There's no economic point.
That is a very good assessment. I will start saying that to people in lose conversation.
So the Germans just get hosed for helping another nation out? Time to kick out the Greeks.
Who bailed out the German banks in 2008? Nobody gets hosed like the American tax payer.
I guess nobody wants to talk about that. All is great in euroland.
Okay, I'll bite, just for fun.
Fed bailed out Euros. Euros bailed out Greece (and others). Japan bailed out Fed. Euro bailing out Japan....
Has anyone ever played three card monty?
The Germans only helped themselves.
Bbbbeeeee BBBeeebbbebebeebeeee
shee plz plz pay ze taxez plz
Do not swallow the media hype. Here is the problem...
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article41100.htm
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-03-04/imf-director-admits-greek-bailo...
Can anyeone blame anyone for feeling this way these days?
+1 the reason why the label "depression" fits so well. economy is full of human psychology, and the bad parts are blue indeed
If this following were followed there would be much less debt, and much less mess. Didn't Andrew Jackson fight the fiat banks ?
No State shall...coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts....
Article I, Section 10, Clause 1
"they delay to go to russia and they freeze in the snow ... like morons"
that's the best line
OK, the video is worth a few laughs. Too long, but funny.
It's three years old.
It has become a certainty that our destruction is much worse than a self-fulfilling prophecy: It has been orchestrated from outside.
The idea that some outside force compelled Greece to borrow money is absolute nonsense.
The absurdity is younger U.S. Taxpayers borrowing money to payout Social Security claims.
The Idea that some outside force offered Greece loans to buy stuff they didn't need, (arms, etc.) that they knew could not be repaid, and then lied about the conditions of the loans is not nonsense. You make a case for TPTB moral high ground in this---its bullshit--just like a student loan to someone you know will never get a job doing what they are going to school for.
the idea that banks helped faking account data in favor of greece pre-euro ist not.
Well here is some nonsense for u Meine Freunde. You are the minister of defenz in greez and your newly euro-atoned state has just began borrowing cheap. What to do? What to do? You come up with a plan!!! You will buy planes und submarinez und rocketz und all sortz of toyz (becauz NATO-reich sayz so)... But with a catch... You will buy it 4 or 5 or 6 Timez higher from your EU comradez und Amerikanski friendz... Und zee best part??? U will get a kickback of hundredz of millions of eurotrash from ze same guyz that you originally borrowed ze moneyz from... All ze time you will make ze Greek sheeple und goatz feel guilty for not getting a receipt for dat gyro burger they had last night... Little Bitz outsidez Little Bitz insidez.
agreed. and yet... lots of people like those toys
tanks, frigates, submarines. national pride exists
if you don't agree, imagine this: China offering 2 trillion for the US Supercarriers. what would the popular response to that be? "Cool, we don't need them anyway? All pacifists, here?"
At six timez ze cost zee Germanz pay my Patriot?
Ze greekz should get zemselves better accountantz...
Greece was anything but pacifist, in the 20th C. And the war with Turkey was big, and left huge revanchist scars. Cyprus needed UN Troops to keep Turks and Greeks apart, and the two NATO partners often looked not too far from sparring blows until the big earthquakes let a bit of human compassion in
Yes, Greek govs always bought with gusto arms and then more arms. But there was a relevant background to this story
(Corruption is a different story)
My pardonz.. I only talked aboutz zee ministree of ze defenz. Zey have like 20 more ministrie z und Ministerz...
Bitz, bitches. Bullish.
Yes. But who was "in charge" of the people's democracy ?
The Oligarch's setup the fiat loans for the people...that is the entire point.
Who bankrupted Detroit ? the elected leadership. The people elected corrupt politicians, yes, absolutely...because they were able to get the emergency finance/funding. Is that honest ?
Instead of working and causing organic economic improvement over time...the Oligarch financiers got quick-fix funding (loans, bonds, bail-outs, etc.). Is that good ? time will tell my friends.
Who also got their personal/company finances (on the side) while the government loans were installed years ago ? A. the Oligarch leadership...they won their prizes and accounts on the side, along with the govts., and then walked away.
( that is the point. )
Fiat corrupts everything eventually.
the revolving doors are well oiled, and rotating for many decades (or millenia) in Greece as elsewhere. Fiat allows these setups to occur.
OOOOOooh F@ckle ze Fiat und Ze Maserati und ze Alfa Romeo... Humanz are Flickering corrupt. Where zey not before all ze car makes? Leviathan iz ze answer... Saudi style.. Hand steal? Hand cut off (metaphorically speakingz alwayz).
Back to the Library, pal.
Back to yo mama boy.
it will end in some level of war - civil, or regional, or global - as usual
I'm thinking something along the lines of global thermonuclear.
Hopefully, humanity has gone full retard anyway
Won't have to worry about dying from hypothermia in that case.
"...It has become a certainty that our destruction is much worse than a self-fulfilling prophecy: It has been orchestrated from outside. Either to punish the “lazy Greeks” or to warn others being tempted into believing that the European Union – as it is today, as a herald of a policy of austerity that can’t even be backed by the numbers – is repulsive rather than attractive..."
I refuse to believe the Greeks were targeted or are otherwise special other than to be the first victims of the financial psychopaths' grand European plan. The lesson being ignored here is just like the other ingnored lesson WB pointed out re: pre-war Germany: we (and every other nation) are not different from 'them'. Our neighbor's problems will be our problems. Psychopaths don't care whose flag they wipe their feet on - you're all 'little people' to them.
German economist Flassbeck on Greece and the Euro: http://deutsche-wirtschafts-nachrichten.de/2015/02/16/oekonom-flassbeck-...
Good article. Although he doesn't really say anything unknown
One thing I'd like to critique about his analysis -- he assumes le Pen will actually do what she promises. We've seen this story before. What prevents her from finding a dead horse head in her bed and suddenly decides the euro is a great idea?
... 68% is satisfied with the way that the government is negotiating against 23%, while 76% considers government's course as positive against 18%.
That's the bankster playbook - play people off each other: nationality, religion, race, sexuality, politics, courts, media - anything to distract the regular citizen's anger and frustration from them.
If things are looking really dicey for them they foment a physical war.
Remember Hank Pauson - "There will be tanks in the sreets!"
Who is willing to take all these shit junk bonds??? No one. Tax payers will be forced feed with it, then government comes with more desperate measure, then revolution, then war & death ..... dead people can't claim the debts.
Well, at least it's better to be emotionally apathetic in a nice climate.
Yeah. Cold weather does have a way of making you move a little faster (to keep warm).
When the grappling and hand-to-hand combat begins, that is when the Greeks will be on top.
Before then its all talk about fiat, and someone else's problem.
Thank you Mr. Panos (the Greek version of Fight Club)
Nothing is going to change for the Greeks until they realise that the European Union is not their friend. They are still way to in love with their abuser. Stockholm Syndrome is ugly to behold
https://fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net/hprofile-ak-prn1/t5/27536_117920921579805_6970_n.jpg
Grexit would be a defeat to US and Neocons.
I wish it happened already yesterday.
The way the Euro is tanking, a new Drachma could launch at parity.
Zimbabwe may even resurect their dollar at par.
As in WWII, time for the Greeks to take to the mountains and begin guerrilla warfare.
Yes Yes Ze Mountainz of Mykonos.
GET-RID-OF-THE-EURO, GREECE.
Do it Greek Style!
lazy mf-ers
As usual, Greeks reject the facts and blame all the others for their condition, I have seen the same in Argentina and Venezuela.
This Mr Panos fellow is great! Humor is a very good way to get the point across as the Onion does also.