I would like to start this article with a question. Are you satisfied with the world we are living in? This is definately a rhetoric question!
It is my opinion that the first step to a better world is greek (hellenic) paedia (from παιδεία greek word similar to education). Paedia based on greek ideas (from the greek word ιδέα).
But which are greek ideas? Why are they so important to us especially now? It is a difficult task to define what the greek ideas include, because practically they include everything. I would say it is easier to define what they do no include in.
Some of these ideas (not included) are materialism and dogmas (doctrine).These are mostly the two responsible for the moral (and not only) collapse of our time, for the dead end that we are heading to. For example see the hellenic religion. There was not a "guide book" for practising it. There was no "bible" (greek word from βίβλος) and no rules to follow. There were no heresies (from αίρεση). Greeks (Hellenes) never committed holy wars against non Hellenes and greek theology was open to influence and many are the examples. The same lack of dogma (doctrine) exist in their philosophy (greek word φιλοσοφία from φίλος=friend and σοφία=wisdom) in which you will meet all kinds of opposing ideas!Generally, freedom of thinking and expressing ideas was spread through the hellenic world with few exceptions.
Another idea foreign to greek thinking, is materialism. It was a deep belief of the Greeks that -in no way- what you do in present time, will affect you in a hypothetical (from greek word υπόθεσις) after life (except the Pythagorean and Platonic philosophy) so death is not the glorius transition to after life. Everything ends with death and there is no use trying to gain wealth and richness because we are all mortals. The most important thing for the Greeks (Hellenes) is Hysterophemia, to be rememberd by the next generations fo a great action! This is the explanation of Leonida's sacrifice at Thermopylae. This is why Achilles prefers to die young and glorified than to grow old and anonymous (greek word ανώνυμος). Deep belief also is that man stands over all material things, that man is the Metron (from Μέτρον). There is not a chance that capitalism could grow strong in a hellenic world. There is not a chance that profit could stand above man. There is not a chance that man could stand above man, that even God could stand above man! "Friend Zeus" Greeks used to call their supreme god! Another phraze (from the greek φράσις) informs us that "It is not a greek custom to bend". A Turk (during the turkish occupation) once complained that "Greeks do not bend even when they are to be decapitated".
We see love for freedom and equity at the beggining and DEMOCRACY -the child of HELLENISM- later. A revolution that changed the history of mankind.
Democracy existed in all city states of Greece more or less (in the classic period). Perhaps not like Athens but in a degree that we can safely claim this (Macedonia is an exception but not without reason. Macedonia had always been the protecting wall of Greece because of its direct contact with the barbarians and the constant wars. Like Greece had always been the protecting wall of Europe(from the greek word Ευρώπη) from Persians, Arabs, Turks etc.). Democracy is the result of passion for freedom. Decocratic Athens defeats the monarchic Persian empire.
Democracy and equity come from hellenic religion six gods and six godesses (Zeus,Poseidon, Ηermes, Apollo, Ares, Hephaestus, Hera, Hestia, Athena, Afrodite, Artemis, Demeter). The gods vote. In case of halve, the the vote of Zeus counts for two!
Polytheism and passion for freedom lead to democracy! Monotheism and lack of passion for freedom lead to Monarchy and vice versa.
Religion is culture. It shapes and being shaped by people. One god, one ruler, one boss. One head=capital=capitalism. Capitalism has been shaped by religion and it shapes religion. Capitalism goes hand in hand with monotheism. Capitalism needs monotheism and monotheism needs capitalism. So capitalism is the opposite of Hellenism, of greek culture. It is the opposite of democracy. Capitalism needs dictatorships and flourishes with in them (see the Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein documentary and book).
Attacking Greece-Hellas, Hellenism, is attacking its values, democracy and freedom. The attacks on Greece (Hellas) and Greeks (Hellenes) world wide by mass media (epecially in Germany) can only be compared with the nazi attacks on Jews!
For me it is not a fortuitous event the so called "greek problem" especially in a period that capitalism goes through a critical phase (from greek word φάση) and people of the world seek something new.
This is why i think that greek (Hellenic) paedia is what the world needs to solve many many of its problems!
What about you?
It's worth the try!
* Democracy= from Δημοκρατία= Δήμος(people)+Κράτος(power)
Monotheism= from Μονοθεϊσμός= Μονός(one)+Θεός(God)
Polytheism= from Πολυθεϊσμός= Πολύ(many)+Θεός(God)
