Question for the Greeks...???

Question

Do you feel equally proud of Modern Greece as of our ancient ancestors???

Answer 1

This issue has been resolved in a rather elegant way by someone else far more talented than me.

Nikos Dimou wrote once:

"Greeks' contemporary self-image is built upon a series of myths. The myth of continuity. The myth of the racial and cultural superiority of our ancestors (and, thanks to continuity, our own). The myth of being special. The myth of racial and religious purity. The myth of the genius of the Greek race.

The existence of these myths provokes certain predictable reactions. Thus, my typical compatriot, while proud to be Greek (95 percent, according to polls) will abuse and censure his countrymen at the slightest provocation. And this, naturally, because they fail to live up to the expectations and the demands created by the myths.

This explains why we're simultaneously the greatest eulogizers and the worst critics of ourselves. Depending on our point of view (and on the moment), we either denigrate Greeks or sing their praises. (In the former case we usually refer to them as "Romious"). Naturally, both attitudes are wrong. Instead of applauding or cursing, it would be better to stop, and think. Calmly, and rationally. (But I forget myself. Rationality is also a Western, imported Evil for our Helleno-centric intelligentsia. So much for Aristotle!)"

PS: Lilaki, were you born in Greece or...Switzerland? Because what you describe concerns a country that hardly represents Greece! This is a nation where Internet does not concern (even now) the great majority of people, where almost nothing is produced but imported and universities are below European average (at best). And trust me I am in a very good professional position to know this as a fact. So much for the technological achievements you describe! Lessen up on your patriotism. Harden up on the facts instead.
I find your arguments being weak (at best): Germany was destroyed completely during WWII. Check were are they standing just 60 years after...

That being said one should acknowledge that Greeks are doing great lately. We need more though.

Answer 2

we are not even the same as our ancient forefathers ,not even close! but I think modern Greece should find a way to incorporate ancient with modern civilization! we have the answers but we are walking away from them! we are so preoccupied with the race that the rest of the world has been running that I think we have officially forgotten what we are all about!

just look how corrupt our doctors are! fakelaki here and another fakelaki there! Just a small example how disturbed we are!

HIPPOCRATES would be rolling over in his grave if he knew what we are up to!

the funny part is that there are other nations who actually take our ancient history serious and practice what our ancient family members preached!

but Greece has lost the path of what it was build on!

I know that these are harsh words, but they are the truth and the truth must be said!

by the way , I am just as guilty of this as every one else!

Answer 3

Abroad yes
we will exceed our ancestors in all.Cretan promise
In Greece we prove it during the almost catastrophically dark millennium of Bysanz
during the slavery of Ottoman Empire,few wars and we still alive and produce culture and I don't mean the corrupt politicians or the skyladika or the suspicion clarina,where is the flute why "some" replace the flute,replace the polytoniko system.
Some people want us to be down because of their inferiority complex.
Athanasios Diakos at Alamana it wasn't so fancy like Leonidas in 300 (ok) but it was somethin.
Dionysios Solomos,
Konstantinos Karatheodoris,
Elytis, Theodorakis, Frangoulis, Psarantonis,
Solomos Solomou and so many others.
As a Hellen Im proud of all of them.
I see the Hellenic culture ancient and new in many countrys all over the world.
Hellenic people often seems to produce nothing.
Like they want us.
Appearances are often deceiving.

Answer 4

Of course not but it's not entirely our fault. The Greeks build a fabulous civilization that was envied and simulated by many. Then the Turks came along and Greece missed all the enlightenment Europe had to offer during those 400 years. Now we are behind the rest of the world and after all the wars we went through, we are left with a terrible inferiority complex!

Answer 5

I fully endorse what Frank B wrote and quoted. I want to add that
a. modern Greeks genetically have not much in common with ancient Greeks and certainly most of them actually ignore the ancient greek culture in depth (i.e. most thorough and accurate studies and publications on ancient greek literature are either british or german)
b. I don't have to be neither proud nor ashamed of my ancestors, what matters is what I will do in life, what achievements I will reach. Being so focused in the past means that one has no present worth mentioning - and certainly no future.

Answer 6

Alas, what a great burden it is to carry such a glorious legacy and to feel indebted to live up to those magnificent standards! A veritable impossibility. Be not compelled to compare the now with the then, but aspire to learn and to emulate. There must be something after all in the Greek Spirit to produce today thinkers like Nico Dimou, and there must be something to be said about a 3000+ year old civilization whose modern plain folks still speak Homeric words.

Answer 7

I hate hearing people nagging about what Greece and its people have become and how little resemblance we bear to our ancestors. I just don't accept that. Greeks make progress even in our days in all fields of expertise; they are still discovering things, our scientists are among the best in the world. I think we have idealised our past so much that our present seems petty to us. I don't think everything was as perfect as we want to think back then. But even if that was the case (and we are talking only about a century of our past, ie 5th century BC???) things change, and change doesn't always mean improving and developing.
Yes, I am proud of Modern Greece- just think how much we've accomplished after what we've been through-wars, dictatorships, civil war...We've managed to keep up with developments and past that!

Answer 8

95% of Greeks are Christian Greek Orthodox (which is NOT a form of Catholicism! )

Answer 9

I am more proud of the ancient Greeks,rather than the modern Greeks because the ancient Greeks gave the world so much.They enriched our lives because of what they gave us!The modern Greeks(and i refer to the government,no matter who has ruled the country in modern times), have seperated themselves from our ancestors and are destroying all the good that was ever done !

Answer 10

There is a small percentage of modern Greeks I am equally proud of than ancinet Greeks. Let's remember Maria Kallas, Manos Chatzidakis, George Papanikolaou, Demetres Horn, Aris Konstadinidis, Takis Zenetos, Yannis Tsarouchis, Fotis Kontoglou, and even people who are now living, like Charalambos Bouras or Manolis Korres.
But not of the average modern Greek.

Answer 11

Dear,
Considering our history the ancient Greeks are not the same "race" with modern Greeks so we can not compare 2 different things.
Moreover, if you say ancient ancestors what exactly do you mean? Athenians who had a great culture of art, philosophy, architecture, democracy, etc? or Spartans who had a great culture in art of war, in athletics..or Macedonian ..or Ionians...?
So, in my opinion it is not easy to make so general comparisons.
However, I think we are good enough. I like us and I think I am lucky that I am a Greek with all goods or bad including this nation.