Neither cinema nor theater, let alone museums
People’s educational levels, reading habits within the family, other activities, work and political orientation are important parameters as to whether and how much Greeks read. Undoubtedly the non-reading public includes the «elderly and those of a lower educational background and income,» the survey found. Nevertheless, the graphs show that the percentage of people who read and who have a higher educational level has decreased from 80.3 percent in 1998 to 68.9 percent. Women continue to be the biggest readers, followed by the younger age groups (18-24), civil servants, students, single people, city-dwellers and those in the higher socioeconomic groups. VPRC also recorded the frequency of other habits regarding cultural activities, revealing some interesting facts. Nearly two-thirds had not gone to the cinema over the past year, and just 4.6 percent had gone at least once a month. Another 83 percent had not visited a theater within the space of a year; 90.1 percent had never attended a concert, and 96.4 hadn’t watched a ballet performance. As for museums, 89 percent had not been to a single one, while 84 percent had not visited an archaeological site. Another 82 percent had not visited any other historical monument, such as a church or monastery. Cookbooks topped the list of non-fiction preferences at 17.2 percent, followed by medical texts and health issues (13.4 percent), nutrition (10.8), home decorating (10.2), cars (9.9), do-it-yourself books (6.8) and music (6.85). Most people were satisfied with the number of bookshops – and gymnasiums – in their neighborhood. Finally, asked to say what values are most important to them, the respondents gave the following answers: beginning a family (18.1 percent); quality of life (11.7); professional success (11.3); raising children properly (11.3 percent); improving society (10.9); justice (7.8); personal freedom, independence (7.6); democracy and equality before the law (6.4); solidarity with those less fortunate (4.4); emotional security (4.1); relationship with parents (4) and sexual equality (1.3).
