By Hermes Solomon
THEY drive alone to work. Just stand at any downtown street corner at 7.30 on a weekday morning and count bums on seats of passing vehicles. They come from the smart suburbs, Archangelos, Lakatamia, Strovolos and its sprawling perimeter, Latsia and Dhali, even from Larnaca and Limassol to work at government offices, schools and banks in the capital. Most of their homes are less than 20 years old and were built out of town on comparatively cheap plots, affording their owners extra en suite bathrooms and a swimming pool. They overburden our increasingly dysfunctional roads, pollute the atmosphere, live off fast food with mobiles glued to their ears. They are mostly well dressed, highly perfumed smokers and pop drinkers, busy, busy people. They speak mainland Greek and English, and are permitted entry into any EU member state as equals, and no longer as immigrants. They are today's islander.But they are cursed by an inbred island mentality that is making hermits of us all, transitory wealth imprisoning them in their homes and at their places of work. The Cypriot mindset has altered beyond recognition since the 1974 invasion. We now look north and see another country, another language, another religion, and we no longer care. We have our beautiful homes bordered by a concrete fence, our beautiful cars, sparkling and proud under the carport, never mind the rubble and rubbish littering the scrub land beyond our garden gate. We pretend that by visiting the mountains when it snows or the seaside when it's hot, we own the entire island. We no longer fear what future for our children now that we're members of the EU. We have it good, in fact we've never had it so good since getting those troublesome Turkish Cypriots off our backs… thank God they left us with half the island! And what have we done with it during the past 33 years? We've raised our standard of living beyond the dreams of our grandparents, most of us drive Mercs or BMs and live in palaces by comparison with those mud and straw one-roomed dens in which most of us were raised. Our kids have university degrees in economics and business management in readiness for our half of the island becoming a world financial centre. We talk big, we act big… like all small men. We give the impression we are something we are not. And the island draws closer to permanent partition, two countries, two governments, two flags. So what? It happened to Ireland, Korea and several others.And who would claim that Eire or the PRK will not one day outperform their other halves? Eire certainly has since 1990.Divided we stand and grow more bitter, spiteful and resentful of our neighbours while Greece makes friends Turkey. Were we sold down the river in 74 by all the three guarantor powers, paid off by Faustian bribes, the temptation of increased tourism, expat property sales, secure government jobs, etc? It cannot be denied that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and to his politics through his purse.Do you know how it feels to be a recluse? You should, since we have become reclusive in our approach to our immediate neighbours. Go away, we don't want to talk with you no matter what we pretend. After 33 years what is there left to say anyway?Besides, where would reunification lead us, bickering like arrogant football fans, more civil servants, increased taxes, higher unemployment? All that bother for what exactly? Look what happened to West Germany after reunification…it remained the number one economy of Europe, that's what happened! Do you think they enjoyed the transition, having it forced upon them by the two leading world powers? We believe we are one family, united by our Church, our language and our customs. But all solitary races eventually die out. Europe is a reunification of 27 nations, and a dream for a better future for us all, no matter what language, race or religion. Come on Cyprus, stop being myopic. Join the world of tomorrow and shake off this worn out mantle of self destruction.
THEY drive alone to work. Just stand at any downtown street corner at 7.30 on a weekday morning and count bums on seats of passing vehicles. They come from the smart suburbs, Archangelos, Lakatamia, Strovolos and its sprawling perimeter, Latsia and Dhali, even from Larnaca and Limassol to work at government offices, schools and banks in the capital. Most of their homes are less than 20 years old and were built out of town on comparatively cheap plots, affording their owners extra en suite bathrooms and a swimming pool. They overburden our increasingly dysfunctional roads, pollute the atmosphere, live off fast food with mobiles glued to their ears. They are mostly well dressed, highly perfumed smokers and pop drinkers, busy, busy people. They speak mainland Greek and English, and are permitted entry into any EU member state as equals, and no longer as immigrants. They are today's islander.But they are cursed by an inbred island mentality that is making hermits of us all, transitory wealth imprisoning them in their homes and at their places of work. The Cypriot mindset has altered beyond recognition since the 1974 invasion. We now look north and see another country, another language, another religion, and we no longer care. We have our beautiful homes bordered by a concrete fence, our beautiful cars, sparkling and proud under the carport, never mind the rubble and rubbish littering the scrub land beyond our garden gate. We pretend that by visiting the mountains when it snows or the seaside when it's hot, we own the entire island. We no longer fear what future for our children now that we're members of the EU. We have it good, in fact we've never had it so good since getting those troublesome Turkish Cypriots off our backs… thank God they left us with half the island! And what have we done with it during the past 33 years? We've raised our standard of living beyond the dreams of our grandparents, most of us drive Mercs or BMs and live in palaces by comparison with those mud and straw one-roomed dens in which most of us were raised. Our kids have university degrees in economics and business management in readiness for our half of the island becoming a world financial centre. We talk big, we act big… like all small men. We give the impression we are something we are not. And the island draws closer to permanent partition, two countries, two governments, two flags. So what? It happened to Ireland, Korea and several others.And who would claim that Eire or the PRK will not one day outperform their other halves? Eire certainly has since 1990.Divided we stand and grow more bitter, spiteful and resentful of our neighbours while Greece makes friends Turkey. Were we sold down the river in 74 by all the three guarantor powers, paid off by Faustian bribes, the temptation of increased tourism, expat property sales, secure government jobs, etc? It cannot be denied that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and to his politics through his purse.Do you know how it feels to be a recluse? You should, since we have become reclusive in our approach to our immediate neighbours. Go away, we don't want to talk with you no matter what we pretend. After 33 years what is there left to say anyway?Besides, where would reunification lead us, bickering like arrogant football fans, more civil servants, increased taxes, higher unemployment? All that bother for what exactly? Look what happened to West Germany after reunification…it remained the number one economy of Europe, that's what happened! Do you think they enjoyed the transition, having it forced upon them by the two leading world powers? We believe we are one family, united by our Church, our language and our customs. But all solitary races eventually die out. Europe is a reunification of 27 nations, and a dream for a better future for us all, no matter what language, race or religion. Come on Cyprus, stop being myopic. Join the world of tomorrow and shake off this worn out mantle of self destruction.
1 comment:
I first noted in 1964 the type of scorn and contempt for Cypriots, displayed here, from those Cypriot 'aristocrates' who believed they were above the hoi polloi. Sadly, many of today's 'intellectuals', believing themselves above other Cypriots concerning political thinking, can only argue their perspective with utter disdain for Cypriots.
Had Hermes Solomon been a stand-up comic, derision may be an effective way of highlighting issues that need to be re-evaluated. But I do not think he sees himself as such, nor do they he derides.
I would like to know whether he has found that his utter lack of respect for Cypriots, his blanket stereotyping and his denial of most Cypriots' sense of insecurity in their future, has convinced one single Cypriot of the need to communicate with the other and to widen their perspective.
Helen Vassilakas
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