By Alexis Papachelas

This country will never move forward until it manages to put an end to our television-based democracy or, as others might say, dictatorship.

I do not agree with the criticism that private television channels actually excluded voices that were against the memorandum or who held other similar views. One must be blind or deaf to claim such a thing. It’s like saying that the Catholics have been left out of the Vatican when critics of the EU/IMF deal, as well as champions of the most paranoid conspiracy theories, could be seen parading on Greece’s TV panels on a daily basis.

In some cases, it became evident that the voicing of extreme views was not in respect of democratic sensibilities, but was rather driven by the interests of the so-called drachma lobby and other self-interested motivations.

However, in most cases it was fueled by the manic hunt for ratings. As we have often said, unlike the antics-prone, hot-tempered pundit, the soft-spoken professor is hard to sell because he does not attract audiences. As a result, the public debate is dominated by the former.

The problem, in other words, lies with the people per se, not the ideas they seek to advance. There are great scientists, analysts and market professionals who can make serious arguments against the memorandum and also put forward alternative ways to overcome the crisis. But they have nothing to do with those who confuse Goldman Sachs with the IMF or those who consistently litter debate with talks about gallows and traitors.

The good news is that sober-minded people who used to shy away from television are gradually changing, shedding their inhibitions. They have realized that they cannot merely stare at developments from the safety of the good seats or snub Greek society.

For the time being, the political map does not just reflect the pain and suffering of the economic crisis. It also mirrors our television personalities, cliches and stereotypes.

Too bad for us all, many TV people believe that they are only giving the public what the public wants.

Well, this is the Greece they made, this is the Greece that suits their interests and the interests of their friends. But this is also the Greece of crisis and decline.