If there is anyone who knows how to throw a boisterous party brimming with good cheer, it is the Greeks. The movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, by the American director Joel Zwick (1942- ), wittily shows the “big, fat” wedding culture of Greece in which every member of the family is actively involved. The reason for this is the pride the Greeks have in their traditions.
The movie is about Toula, the daughter of a Greek immigrant family, and her efforts to introduce her American beau to her family. Toula’s father believes that there are two kinds of people in this world: Greeks and everyone else, and everyone else wishes they were Greek. He tells his future son-in-law, “While your ancestors climbed trees, we were discussing philosophy.” Toula’s father even insists that the Japanese word kimono comes from the Greek word himona (winter). “What do you wear in the wintertime to stay warm? A robe. You see: robe, kimono. There you go,” he explains.
His argument that all languages are derived from Greek does not seem all that farfetched because Greece, after all, is known as the cradle of Western civilisation. The mythology and philosophy of ancient Greece proclaimed a new era for humanity. This belief is almost absolute in Europe. Even the name Europe comes from Greece. It is from the name of the Phoenician princess Europa (Εὐρώπη), who as goes the Creta story was kidnapped by Zeus (Ζεύς) in the form of a white bull.
When Rome conquered Greece, the first thing the Romans did was pack the books and art found in the homes of Grecian noblemen to take home. It became essential for intellectuals to read Greek literature. The Roman poet Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus, 68-8 BC) even said that while Rome had conquered Greece, Greece was ruling its uncivilised conquerors. In her series of books on ancient Rome, Japanese author Nanami Shiono (塩野七生, 1937- ) wrote that the Romans were inferior in intellect to the Greeks.
The recent financial crisis, however, shows that intellect and traditions are helpless in the face of debt. The European media are now using the rather humiliating moniker, PIGS, to refer to the quartet of Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain. The moral hazard of having lavished money on social welfare programs, such as pension plans, even as they wallowed in debt, and the inability to pay the money back, even if they receive financial aid, is driving the PIGS into a corner.
According to the Greek philosopher Plato (Πλάτων c.427-347 BC), after drinking a fatal poison, the Greek philosopher Socrates (Σωκράτης, c.469-399 BC) spoke his last words to his life-long friend, Crito of Alopece: “Crito, we owe a cock to Asclepius. Please don’t forget to pay the debt.”
Had modern Greece, and for the matter the Portuguese, Italian and Spanish, followed the advice of the great Greek ancestor and paid their debts, maybe they would not have suffered the humiliation of being surnamed PIGS.
The movie is about Toula, the daughter of a Greek immigrant family, and her efforts to introduce her American beau to her family. Toula’s father believes that there are two kinds of people in this world: Greeks and everyone else, and everyone else wishes they were Greek. He tells his future son-in-law, “While your ancestors climbed trees, we were discussing philosophy.” Toula’s father even insists that the Japanese word kimono comes from the Greek word himona (winter). “What do you wear in the wintertime to stay warm? A robe. You see: robe, kimono. There you go,” he explains.
His argument that all languages are derived from Greek does not seem all that farfetched because Greece, after all, is known as the cradle of Western civilisation. The mythology and philosophy of ancient Greece proclaimed a new era for humanity. This belief is almost absolute in Europe. Even the name Europe comes from Greece. It is from the name of the Phoenician princess Europa (Εὐρώπη), who as goes the Creta story was kidnapped by Zeus (Ζεύς) in the form of a white bull.
When Rome conquered Greece, the first thing the Romans did was pack the books and art found in the homes of Grecian noblemen to take home. It became essential for intellectuals to read Greek literature. The Roman poet Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus, 68-8 BC) even said that while Rome had conquered Greece, Greece was ruling its uncivilised conquerors. In her series of books on ancient Rome, Japanese author Nanami Shiono (塩野七生, 1937- ) wrote that the Romans were inferior in intellect to the Greeks.
The recent financial crisis, however, shows that intellect and traditions are helpless in the face of debt. The European media are now using the rather humiliating moniker, PIGS, to refer to the quartet of Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain. The moral hazard of having lavished money on social welfare programs, such as pension plans, even as they wallowed in debt, and the inability to pay the money back, even if they receive financial aid, is driving the PIGS into a corner.
According to the Greek philosopher Plato (Πλάτων c.427-347 BC), after drinking a fatal poison, the Greek philosopher Socrates (Σωκράτης, c.469-399 BC) spoke his last words to his life-long friend, Crito of Alopece: “Crito, we owe a cock to Asclepius. Please don’t forget to pay the debt.”
Had modern Greece, and for the matter the Portuguese, Italian and Spanish, followed the advice of the great Greek ancestor and paid their debts, maybe they would not have suffered the humiliation of being surnamed PIGS.
Giorgio Olivotto
Seoul, Korea
May 23, 2010
Seoul, Korea
May 23, 2010
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