Be Introspective, then Reflective and then Understand...

In one of the motivational posters I read "you are not where you come from, you are where you're going to...".

Which, snazzy though it may be, raises a fundamental question: do I know where I am going to?

One may argue, of course, that NOT knowing is, in and of itself, a kind of direction to whit, the pursuit of direction.

I wonder how many of us actually do know where they are going -- or do we simply settle for a vague idea, based on what we have around us.

Do we want to know everything about the future?


Or, maybe, "where we are going to" is the journey to know oneself.

If so, all it takes is to reflect upon oneself, to discover, see, accept and move on. The more we know ourselves, the more we know where we are going to? Or, the more we know ourselves, the less important is the goal of defining a specific destination...

Which European Country Has No Guaranteed Minimum Income?

You guessed it: Greece.

Despite the endless (& reckless) spending, Greece's governments have ignored the issue -- nay, Greece's present "left-wing humanistic" government has swepted it off the table.

Indeed, Greece's Syriza party politicians effectively placed the matter in the circular file; for good, they hope.

GREECE'S GOVERNMENT VIEW OF THE COUNTRY'S POOR & UNEMPLOYED

A minister called Fotiou, even went so far as to call it "a poverty trap".
Indeed.

Ms Fotiou she does not need the aid, obviously; with a purported monthly income of EUR ~12k to spend, falling into the "minimum income" for her is a giant step backwards.

For a party that uses "humanistic crisis" as an argument in favour of "money for nothing" in its dealings with the troika (reps of Greece's lenders), it could be astonishing.

It ceases to astonish when one realises that the present party not only could not care less about Greece's poor, it also visibly doesn't bother with the future starving population: long-term unemployed,self-employed out of jobs, etc.


In this light, the fact that 25% of Greece's unemployed also do not have any medical cover probably makes the present ruling party members rejoice.

Paradoxical Collective Behaviour of Greeks Today -- or Why My Dutch Friend Was Wrong

...He rarely is.
Also he is most polite and reserved and rarely judgemental.


What are three strange traits that may confuse us if we travel or live in Greece today.

I don't mean, voting a not-so-complimentary-for-the-country, party to power (rude with a predilection of doing anything that goes against the grain -- any grain, to the extent of proposing to free from prison  a serial killer, for "humanitarian reasons" etc)


A) being rude = being assertive



B) being antisocial & unhelpful = being free
Example: a bunch of trouble-makers are allowed to demonstrate to the detriment of the community, block the highway, or forbid entry to cruise-ships; the community, the country as a whole suffers. Likewise,

C) being polite to a stranger = servility


What else can one say other than, offer Greece group therapy and send them the bill  (because psychoanalysis needs commitment).

Sullen, Disgruntled and Resentful

... is how a Dutch person living in Greece described the country's ruling party's so called "extreme left-wing" politicians.

Like typical bullies,indignant because they have not had their way; "just imagine" he said, "imagine you give the bullies the power and the responsibilities of the school principal"! This is surely how they wil behave."

He proffered the example of  the minister for education who publicly stated that the pursuit of excellence (and progress) is a sickness. Again, in the same ministry, the minister appointed new regional educational supervisors, all from the party (syriza). Other ministers declare "... we will tear Europe to bits..." and "jihad is not to be excluded if they (european partners) do not do what we want...".

If this is really the case, and Greece's ruling people are a pack of disgruntled, self-serving bullies,  Greece is in urgent need of a few very dynamic parents who can bring these bullies to order.

Or the will sink the ship further, beyond salvation.