From: ls0823@wuche1.wustl.edu (Labros Skartsis)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.greek
Subject: Re: SORRY FOLKS
Date: 16 Apr 92 15:56:35 GMT
Article-I.D.: wuche2.1992Apr16.155635.11357
Organization: Washington University in St. Louis

Slightly different subject: greeks' critisism of Greece.
                            ---------------------------


I happened to follow Spiros Gavrilakis' postings (which consistently
again and again, try to exhibit how screwed-up Greece 
is in its economy, EC relations, etc.)
and I understand that several greeks got quite irritated by his style
and - apparently - insulted him in e-mail.

With this chance I would like to say a few words on this relevant
phenomenon from my experience (it is relevant, of course, to
the degree that Spiros Gavrilakis is indeed a greek).

Maybe it doesn't show here, in the newsnet, but a favorite pasttime of
many greeks is to critisize (apparently, more so when they are among 
other greeks) their homeland, more harshly and cynically 
that you cam imagine. That was also mentioned to me by surprised
foreigners who had greek friends; the same was said by foreign
ambassadors in Athens, interviewed by a leading magazine.
Actually I, myself must
feature this behavior to some degree, and I personally  have
made rather strong comments even here, in s.c. newsnets.

This is a "healthy" trend, in principle,
but it does go to extremes...
My explanation is that many of us may feel "cool" when judging our 
land, actually (some) the harsher they judge, the "cooler" they feel. 
This expands, and reaches the degree of ridiculous for some greeks
who live in the U.S. , Canada, or any other ... cool country.
It is the phenomenon I call "imperial" critisism, or critism from
"above"...
Somehow, they feel that this critisism does not involve them, they
are "above" the greek standards and thus they can judge the rest,
wisely pointing out what is going wrong, even show their ... disgust
with everything; because, of course, they have nothing to do with it,
they are obviously "above" all those things, they are, as we said,
"cool".

I personally know greeks (again, mainly living abroad) who go out of 
their way to ...prove that Greece
is the most screwed-up place in the world; I also remember a greek living
in Europe arguing, in a serious greek magazine, that Greek history is
all bull, the ancient greeks were loosers, all said about them are
fairy-tales, lies, misconseptions or God knows what, and many-many more
interesting things.
You see, he felt he was soooo cool.

Of course, such extremes are quite rare - I didn't want to generalize;
most greeks have their limits, especially among foreigners (don't forget,
we do love this little country after all).
That's way Spiros Gavrilakis , for example, was attacked!

I'll just finish this message with this opinion: 
critisim for our own land
and environment is a healthy, actually necessary trend, showing
democratic (and other) maturity and development; lack of it is 
backwardness!
But, this critisim should not be done ... happily, imperially from
"above". When we see something wrong we should pain for it, worry
, for it involves us as well, and try - we too - to correct it.

That, again, is my personal viewpoints and opinion on a rather
interesting greek phenomenon. I hope I didn't ... sound like
one more greek who critisizes the rest!! 
But, then, to one degree
or the other, it is one of
our national characteristics, after all!

Regards,
L. Skartsis