10 Unexpected and Strange Facts About Greek Society

10 Unexpected and Strange Facts About Greek Society

The birthplace of Western civilization, Greece is well-known throughout the globe for its ancient philosophers, island-hopping sun, and mythological gods and goddesses. Blue-domed churches and the Parthenon overwhelm the postcards, yet the composition of modern Greek society is rich with yarns that are much more intricate, contradictory, and fascinating. Underneath the famous cliches lies a nation struggling with its great past and precariously balancing a disorganized present, all that translates to social norms and behavior that are flat-out puzzling, even paradoxical, to the outside observer. Here are ten surprising facts that shed light on the true, nonconformist character of Greek society.

**1. The "Evil Eye" is a Deeply Rooted Cultural Operating System**

In Greece, the "Matiasma" or Evil Eye is not superstition; it's a widespread cultural pattern of blaming bad luck. The assumption is that envy, even with a benign compliment, can release negative energy, causing anything from a headache to a streak of bad luck.

**The Constant Vigilance:** This isn't a passive belief. Greeks, from city-dwelling intellectuals to villagers in their most traditional villages, actively take protective measures. The most widespread talisman is the "mati" (the eye), a blue glass pendant bearing an eye painted upon it, on key rings, in houses and offices, and even on babies as jewelry. Compliments are then accompanied by an unobtrusive spit—not a filthy one, but the discreet "ftou, ftou, ftou" softly whispered three times to ward off envy. If a child or an individual is believed to have the evil eye cast on them, a grandmother will say a special prayer, typically involving oil, water, and softly spoken incantations, to "xematiasma" or undo it. This is not viewed as irrational but as an entrenched psychological and social coping mechanism with the aleatoric character of life.

**2. The Bureaucracy is a Byzantine Labyrinth by Design**

The legendary Greek bureaucracy is not only ineffective, but also a labyrinth invented by Kafka himself, in most cases. It is not a modern phenomenon but a legacy from the past. The quantity of paper, stamps ("fakelosi"), and visits to different offices for a simple task is daunting.

**The "Rousfeti" and "Mesa" Culture:** The paradox is the way society has developed. The complexity of bureaucracy has developed a symbiotic, unofficial network in the guise of "rousfeti" (nepotism) and "mesa" (in on the connections, literally "inside"). Having someone in one's corner is occasionally the sole method by which one can navigate the maze. This creates a two-tiered society: one for individuals with "mesa" who can have things done immediately, and another for those without, subject to endless queues and desperation. This reliance on face-to-face networks over anonymous procedure reinforces family and social bonds but also sustains a sense of inequality and distrust in public institutions. It's a system where what you know is all secondary to who you know.

**3. The Coffee Culture is a Chronophagous Ritual**

The Greek culture of coffee is a world of its own, governed by its own uncodified rules that defy the "grab-and-go" culture. The Freddo Cappuccino, a frothed, cold coffee, is the most common beverage, and consuming it is an uncodified ritual that "eats time" (chronophagous).

**The Unwritten Rules:** You never order a coffee to take away when you are in company. To order it to take away is a mark of disrespect. A coffee invitation is a tacit contract for at least 1.5 to 2 hours of uninterrupted conversation. The glass of water that accompanies the coffee is not just a drink; it's a symbol of hospitality and a timer too. The clinking of the spoon, sluggish stirring, and lengthy pauses are all performance acts. The ritual is the primary impulse of social existence. It's where relationships are maintained, business is conducted, and the day's news is dissected. In a culture that values human touch over efficiency, the coffee shop is the secular church.

**4. The "Philotimo" is an Untranslatable Social Code

"Philotimo" is possibly the most significant Greek term you've never heard of. It has no translation, but it includes notions of honor, responsibility, respect, and hospitality. For Greeks, it's the ethical guide that directs their actions.

**Going Beyond Hospitality:** Though including that well-known Greek hospitality to strangers, it goes far beyond. It's the responsibility of assisting a friend in need without them requesting it. It's the inherent respect for his family and seniors. It's the pride in doing the right thing, whether anyone sees it or not. An individual without "philotimo" is not trustworthy and he is empty. It explains so much Greek action that seems paradoxical—such as the driver who might cut you off in traffic with no impersonal politeness (no politeness) but will exit his car and help you change a tire with wonderful generosity and warmth (an act of "philotimo"). It's a system in which in-group and person-oriented above all else is the agenda.

**5. The Education System is a Monument to Rote Memorization**

In a country that produced Socrates and the dialectical methodology, the modern education system is ironically contrary to critical thinking. The system, especially at high school level, is largely intent on rote memorization to pass the Panhellenic Exams.

**The "Frontistirio" Dependency:** The pressure to get accepted into university is so intense that the public school system is usually considered to be substandard. This has created a huge shadow education system: the "frontistirio" (cram school). Except for children of very rich parents, they attend these private tutoring schools by the day, afternoon after afternoon, at enormous cost to their parents. The aim is not to understand, but to memorize massive amounts of facts to pass one set of exams that will determine their professional and social status for life. This creates a culture where recitation of facts is often more valued than imagination or analytical skills, and where parents are prepared to make huge sacrifices for a piece of paper that has enormous social value.

**6. The "Fakelaki" and "Rousfeti" are the Grease in the Wheels**

Closer to the bureaucracy in tone is the "fakelaki" (small envelope) and "rousfeti" culture. Illegal and increasingly frowned upon, the practice of paying for services -- from a doctor's office visit to the issuing of a building permit -- in the guise of an envelope full of cash was for decades an open secret.

**An Informal System of Taxes:** This is not necessarily seen as corruption in the old-fashioned, malevolent sense. Greeks also used to see most of the state apparatus as repressive, inefficient, and they saw "fakelaki" as one way of "buying" the service they felt was owed to them. It was a practice of bargaining with an impersonal bureaucracy. Along with "rousfeti," it created an underground economy and pervading distrust about the ability of the state to provide fair and equitable services. While post-bailout periods and digitalization have narrowed its scope, the attitude remains, revealing a profound schism between the citizen and the state.

**7. The Linguistic Paradox: Ancient vs. Modern**

Greece has a schizophrenic and special relationship with its indigenous language. For most of the 20th century, the nation was divided between two forms of Greek: "Katharevousa" (the purified, ancient Greek-like language) and "Dimotiki" (the demotic popular spoken language).

**A Nation Divided by Words:** "Katharevousa" was the official, legal, and scholarly language, while "Dimotiki" was the literary, poetic, and common language. This diglossia was socially split; to speak "Katharevousa" was a mark of education and high status. Their competition was so intense that it was known as the "Language Question." It wasn't until 1976 that "Dimotiki" was recognized as the official language. The legacy continues. Modern Greeks can read classical literature with effort, but they speak a language that has been the result of a lengthy and bitter struggle for culture, and thus their continuity with their classical legacy is instant as well as strangely distanced.

**8. The "Parea" is the Basic Social Unit**

Greece's fundamental social unit is not the nuclear family, nor even the individual, but the "parea." Literally, it means "company" or "group of friends," but its meaning is more complex.

**The Chosen Family:** A "parea" is an intimate, closed circle of friends considered to be extended family. These are the ones you spend your summer holidays with, the ones you find every weekend, the ones you call in case of an emergency. The loyalty of parea is absolute. Social life centers around such cliques, and there is little incentive to perpetually meet new people. Your identity is inextricably bound up with your "parea." This creates a highly effective social support and sense of belonging but also sometimes a degree of social insularity where the trust is reserved for the members of the group and the world outside is kept at arm's length.

**9. The "Kafenio" as a Male Sanctuary**

In every village and every neighborhood of every city, you'll find the "kafenio" (coffee house). While the contemporary cafe is open to everyone, the traditional "kafenio" remains a men's domain.

**A World Without Women:** Here the older men sit for hours drinking Greek coffee, playing backgammon (tavli), and discussing politics. It's a place of restrained ritual, smoky ambiance, and the clicking of dice. Women rarely set foot in it. It's a unofficial social club, a place where information is exchanged, opinion is shaped, and isolation of old age is eschewed. The "kafenio" is a living testament to a more patriarchal era, a man's club that has managed to withstand the rapid modernization of the rest of society.

**10. The "Opa!" Attitude is a Balancing Act Between Happiness and Sadness**

The world beyond recognizes Greek "Opa!" as an exhilarated shout after a plate-smashing dance. That captures a much deeper, near-philosophical approach to life. It is the shout of "kefi" – a joyful spirit, passion, and living in the moment.

**Living with the Extremes:** The "Opa!" approach is about the extreme embracing of the extremes of life. It's the understanding that maximum joy ("kefi") and maximum sorrow ("pathos") are identical. That is why a Greek party can be so intense and purging—it is not just happiness, but a denial of misery. The "rebetiko" music and zeibekiko dance, a solo, often improvised, dance danced around a circle, are both archetypal examples. It is a dance that can be pure despair, and, equally pure, resilience and rejoicing. And it's this ability to be both joy and pain at once, to face hardship with defiant "Opa!" and with a dance, which is perhaps the most surprising and profound trait of the Greek soul.

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And finally, to know Greece is to look beyond the marble ruins and brassy tourist beaches. It is to witness a society grappling with the weight of history, clawing its way through a system it finds easy to suspect in terms of powerful personal relationships, and infusing itself with significance from timeless rituals like coffee and the "parea." The Greek intellect is a contradiction dance: between ancient and modern, between official "philotimo" and unofficial "rousfeti," between passionate mourning and volcanic joy. It is here, in the unanticipated and foreign tensions, and not in the postcards, that the genuine, rugged, and forceful heart of Greece beats.