generalspeaking

The Dilemma of Logic

The ancient fabled Greek philosophers, their reasonable methods of defining and winkling out answers to puzzles of human nature and behaviour and nature's conundrums brought the world to scholarly enquiry and the acquisition of wisdom. Their devotion to seeking truth and justice, of finding solutions to problems, remain the most widely respected forbears of rational debate.

And, of course, ancient Greece is considered to be the fount of modern-day democratic action and governance, participatory democracy being practised there, where it became a duty of every citizen to take active part in governance on a revolving basis. No one should, after all, be exempt from the responsibility to use their cerebral function to the best of their abilities. And their abilities could be enhanced by the use of rational enquiry and debate.

Rationality appears to have flown the coop in modern Greece. Critical thinking and techniques of drawing conclusions from a series of queries meant to draw out relevant and applicable details to be synthesized to an answer is history. A debate has been ongoing in Athens, but its parliament has been beset by disagreement reflecting the outrage of ordinary Greek citizens.

Who blame the EU's central bankers for their problems of financial catastrophe, not themselves and their unrealistic expectations from an economy incapable of supporting the idealistic view of how most people feel they should be able to live, in comfort and plenty. The moral verities of old; piety, wisdom, temperance and justice no longer hold the value they once did.

Greeks hold that nothing should change as far as their social-economic entitlements are concerned. The courage of their convictions now revolve around their debased ideas of who is responsible for their intolerable debt. Those who committed to their economic rescue would dearly like some assurance that they will be repaid, for they too have been squeezed by a tight economy.

Now the youth of Greece instead of sitting at the feet of their philosophers and wandering the streets debating with them, lob Molotov cocktails at riot-armoured police. Cafes, shops, banks, cinemas were torched in central Athens, right beside the Parliament buildings. Violence has spread throughout Greece.

"Vandalism, violence and destruction have no place in a democratic country and won't be tolerated. It would be a huge historical injustice if the country from which European culture sprang ... reached bankruptcy and was led, due to one more mistake, to national isolation and national despair", pleaded Prime Minister Lucas Papademos.

The Greek parliament did manage to vote together despite deep disagreements, having taken in the warning by their prime minister. The package they voted to avoid national bankruptcy will demand pension and job cuts and deep pay cuts. In response, young thugs wearing black face masks smashed marble balustrades and hurled pieces of them along with firebombs at police.

"The choice is snot between sacrifice and no sacrifices at all, but between sacrifices and unimaginably harsher ones."

Athens in Flames

Riot policemen stand guard as petrol bombs explode in front of them during clashes with protesters outside the Greek parliament in Athens, Greece, on February 12, 2012. Greek police fired tear gas at petrol bomb-throwing protesters outside parliament, where tens of thousands had massed in a rally against austerity plans being debated by lawmakers. (Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images)

Labels: Chaos, Economy, European Union, Greece

posted by Pieface @ Monday, February 13, 2012