Dwelling on misfortune will do us no good
I am writing to you in response to a commentary by Mr Nikos Konstandaras, «Live your myth in Greece.» First, I would like to thank you for your daily online English newspaper, which my wife and I read regularly. Although I can read and write Greek, as I have lived almost my entire life in Canada I am more comfortable visiting the English version of your website. My wife is Canadian, with only a very basic grasp of the Greek language, so your newspaper is good source of news for someone who would have a tough time getting it elsewhere. Again, for this we are both thankful. Mr Konstandaras’s commentary is expected in the current environment we live in. Greece has experienced, in a relatively short period of time, a whirlwind of obstacles, all noted by Mr Konstandaras. Unfortunately, I feel that it mirrors the «poor us» defeatist attitude that is prevalent throughout the country. As a culture that seems to be more reactive than proactive, we have given up the hope that we can overcome any of our common problems, and simply succumb to the idea that things «are what they are» and cannot be fixed or changed. Greece is in a transitional period, and a crucial turning point in its history. It is much easier to lose hope than to look to a solution that we all have to work toward. Simply dwelling on misfortune will do us more harm than good, and I feel it will continue to feed the defeatist attitude that I spoke of earlier. As a result, I think it would be a breath of fresh air for you to report on some «success stories,» as small or as trivial as they may seem, to bring back some of the hope that has escaped us in the last while, especially during an upcoming holiday season that will likely be headlined by riots. CHRIS NIKOLOPOULOS, Via e-mail
