In contemplating Greece, one envisions sun-drenched shores, warm hospitality, and a plethora of historical sites. This may indeed be accurate, but amidst the nation’s political evolution over the past three decades, Greece has occasionally been entwined with less flattering associations— tax evasion, corruption, and a pressing need for reforms across various sectors. Yet, neither the aforementioned advantages nor the drawbacks encapsulate the challenge of this most frequented country: its intellectual sphere!
To be an intellectual in Greece is to shoulder a weighty legacy, courtesy of the glorious past. From the brilliance of ancient philosophers and inventors to the more contemporary Nobel laureates in literature, Greece’s modest coastal prominence boasts a legacy nearly unmatched by nations of similar scale.
However, the current Greek intelligentsia consistently falls short even by contemporary standards. Although Greeks hold prestigious positions in renowned global organizations and have birthed influential entities, Greek intellectuals struggle to etch their mark internationally.
This deficiency stems from their proclivity to gaze backward for excuses, past glories, and imagined missed opportunities instead of confronting future challenges as Plato, Aristotle, or Pythagoras did.
In recent decades, Greek intellectuals have often leaned toward the political left, leaving a legacy of national merit, albeit occasionally disconnected from swiftly evolving global progress. As we navigate a new epoch defined by pandemics, unforgiving economic structures, an impending climate crisis, and conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, one cannot help but question the purpose of another wave of intellectuals, this time leaning toward the right.
Shouldn’t intellectuals rise above politics and ideology? Nobody wants the myth of Atlantis proven right retrospectively in a world on the verge of collapse.
On a positive note, numerous noble minds generously devote their lives to bettering our world and this country in particular, confronting myriad obstacles with resilience. Facing politicized intellectuals should not be one of those obstacles.