The Way of Life: Greek Style

One of the most basic elements of life is the human element. Without other people around us, we would go crazy. A lack of human interaction can drive a person to do things they would normally not do, potentially to the point of suicide. The odd twist to this is that Americans tend to avoid one another, even those who we see everyday, such as a neighbor or coworker. The fact that we are so technologically minded and innovative, yet we cannot do something as simple as hold a conversation with another person is something that seems to be characteristic of Americans. This was not always the case; in the early to mid 1900s, human interaction was prevalent. Dinner parties, long talks with neighbors, afternoons spent sitting on the porch watching the sunset with family friends, all of these were normal everyday occurrences. Now we avoid eye contact as we pass someone on the street, we do not stop to talk with our neighbors and ask how they are doing, and we think everyone is out to kill us. Even stopping to help someone with a flat tire is a scary idea, for fear they might pull out a weapon. The difference in Greece is that a person’s day is planned around interacting with friends. At least twice a day people will be sitting outside their shops talking with others, sipping on a frappe. It is almost a wonder how they get things done during the day since most of the time they are visiting with friends and fellow store owners, but that is what sets them apart from Americans; their life does not revolve around work. They enjoy life slowly and without stress, which is the key to real happiness. Americans take years off their lives worrying about jobs, money, and other issues, and they end up missing out on time when they could be having fun and building new relationships. The Greeks realize this and embrace it. They know how valuable life is and that it should not be spent worrying about one thing or another, it should be spent making friends, experiencing new things, and realizing what is important in life. This also relates to their lifestyle in general compared to our fast paced lives.
The idea of being laid back is a concept that is completely foreign to Americans. From the age of sixteen or younger we are told we must get a job. We must work our whole lives, eight hours a day or longer, until we reach the point where we have enough money to sustain ourselves until we die. With the way social security is now, we are forced to work until at least our mid sixties. Compared to us, Greeks live the simple life. They make enough money to sustain their lifestyle, and that is all they need. I have not noticed any Greeks that seem to be obsessed with living a lavish lifestyle; they buy what they need to survive and still have a little left over for pleasure. This ties into the human element in the fact that Greeks realize that as long as they have people around them with whom they can talk to and have a good time with, they do not need all of the excess. What is more surprising, to us at least, is that even though they may not have everything they want, they seem genuinely happier and more content with their lives than the typical American, who is constantly striving to have more material goods to make himself happy.
Greece is a country that is running itself well for the most part. Most of the traditions and ways of living here are much more convenient and logical than one would think. I could definitely live in this society with no complaints except not being able to flush toilet paper. Even the lack of air conditioning is not as bad as I thought it would be. Greeks obviously do not want to be like Americans or we would be surrounded by 24 hour convenience stores. They focus more on the priceless things in life: family, friends, and tradition, which is how every country should be managed. America could learn a lot from Greece; it would do us some good to slow down and enjoy life for awhile.

Lindsay Z.