The Greek Crisis and Three Fundamental Mistakes

Over the last couple of years a lot has been said and done with regards to Greece, most of it true and most of it necessary. That said most of it has been ineffective, at times vindictive and will no doubt prove to be disastrous for a whole generation of Greeks who will be paying for the sins of their fathers.

There are some very fundamental aspects which make this Greek drama unique to the country and will require unique and imaginative solutions to resolve it. North Europeans have from day one adopted a tone of voice of indignation and are asking Greeks to feel guilty and mend their ways. Greeks are not Irish, Greeks rarely feel guilty. If you want Greeks to adopt your position you need to demonstrate that there is a benefit to their change of behavior or make them think it was their idea in the first place. This may be seen by some as childish and immature but that says more about their own preconceived preference of how others should behave than any useful insight into the Greek psyche. This is one of the reasons why most measures demanded by the EU will eventually peter out and fail, leaving no beneficial legacy after the pain.

This is fundamental mistake no 1- Inability to inspire.

Another troublesome issue is the way the current bunch of politicians are attempting to bring change about. They are trying to behave the way North Europeans expect them to behave so that audiences abroad can be pacified but as a result have failed to convince the nation as a whole and for this reason the measures are seen as a diktat from outside and to make things worst a German Diktat.

This is fundamental mistake no 2 - Inability to communicate the same idea to two different audiences.

This inability to decipher contradictions or hold two seemingly opposing views also demonstrates the void of historical knowledge that exists between the ears of many so called leaders of the nation. Greece today stands in the same precipice of catastrophe where the Athenian Republic once stood with a choice to make. Fortify the walls of the Acropolis with wooden defenses or take to the sea. We know which one worked but it was not a comfortable discussion between the lazy minds of ancient Athens and the restless intellect of those who believed that failure was not an option.

This is fundamental mistake no 3 - inability to even contemplate radical progressive solutions in order to establish new paradigms for the future.