In Greece, austerity kindles deep discontent, breakdown in rule of law

[Maximus]

Fucking xenoi.

[Valmy]

If they hated non-Greeks so much why would they leave Greece? 

[DontSayBanana]

"They are taking everything away from us," Ganiaris said. "What will happen when I finish law school? Will I only find a job making copies in a shop? Will I then need to work until I'm 70 before I retire? Will I only get a few hundred euros as pension? What future have I got now?"

Cry me a fucking river, you lazy git.

[Razgovory]

Heh, I grew up around Greektown, and I still remember the ultra nationalism a lot of them put on.  I remember calling one of my classmates to discuss a school project in grade 12.

Me:  Is Jim there?
Jim's Dad:  No.  This is his father.  Who is this? 
Me:  Well, my name is PP, I am Jim's -
JD:  Are you Greek?
Me:  No...
JD:  So, how do you know my son??!
Me:  We're classmates.  I'm calling about a project we're working on.
JD:  Classmates?  [long, ponderous pause] Ok, I'll tell him you called.  {click}

I admit, I'd be suspicious of a kid who called himself "PP".

"Yeah, you can come in, just don't go in any room with carpet."

[Maximus]

If they hated non-Greeks so much why would they leave Greece? 

Just a guess, I don't think I know anyone of Greek ethnicity personally, but it was probably picked up after they came over.

You leave the motherland looking for greener pastures. You get there and find an uphill battle. People don't get you, you don't get them, your old ways are threatened. It's not an unusual reaction to circle the wagons.

[Martinus]

The best Athens' protest sign, hands down:

[Razgovory]

I suppose that guy is simply confused as to where he actually is.

[grumbler]

Just a guess, I don't think I know anyone of Greek ethnicity personally, but it was probably picked up after they came over.

You leave the motherland looking for greener pastures. You get there and find an uphill battle. People don't get you, you don't get them, your old ways are threatened. It's not an unusual reaction to circle the wagons.

I grew up in a an area with lots of Greeks - to the point that the next town over was Ypsilanti and we didn't think of gyros as ethnic food at all.  I saw a fair amount of Greek pride (most of it false, based on ideas like that these people were descendents of Homeric and Classical Greeks), but no xenophobia or even dismay when their kids married people whose last names didn't end in "-opolis."  PP's experience is more localized, I think, than generalized.

[Mr.Penguin]

[Admiral Yi]

The best Athens' protest sign, hands down:

Except they forgot the part about being Spartan.

[citizen k]

Except they forgot the part about being Spartan.

They're about to become more spartan.

[Sheilbh]

I've a lot of sympathy for the Greeks.  It must be difficult to see this austerity, see everyone's tax increased and the state cut with almost no hope of economic growth for several years.  Apparently the Greek government are aiming to push through the sort of thing Eastern Europe went through in the 90s.

[Martinus]

I've a lot of sympathy for the Greeks.  It must be difficult to see this austerity, see everyone's tax increased and the state cut with almost no hope of economic growth for several years.  Apparently the Greek government are aiming to push through the sort of thing Eastern Europe went through in the 90s.

Is there actually any hope for Greece? Perhaps they just need to default and be done with it. I read some opinions that no aid can help Greece get back to normal - it will just postpone the inevitable.

[Sheilbh]

Is there actually any hope for Greece? Perhaps they just need to default and be done with it. I read some opinions that no aid can help Greece get back to normal - it will just postpone the inevitable.

The problem is the Greek normal isn't going to get them growing sustainably again.  The Greek normal was a sclerotic, dysfunctional economy with massive inflation and constant devaluation.  I think that Europe needs to provide them with long-term debt support while they actually push through the reforms necessary, rather than simply demanding more and more austerity - I think that's starting to happen.

I think there's hope for Portugal and even Ireland (despite reporting the 39th straight month of falling retail sales) I don't know if that's the case for Greece and I don't think defalt, withdrawal from the Euro or ever increasing austerity provide any answers.

[HVC]

Why was greece allowed into the EU in the first place? Weren't they always a teetering economy with huge corruption issues?