A waste of energy

A frenzy of self-flagellation by those trying to understand Greece's weaknesses and the torrent of rage and accusations against those responsible (in fact as well as in our minds) form the two poles of the public discussion that has followed the tragedy at Tempe.

The first seeks the reasons why, however many years may pass and however many reforms are proposed, the country is not sufficiently modernized; the second demands the punishment of political rivals because they are - in the minds of those speaking - solely responsible for all that is bad.

At moments of great tension, like today, the country descends into dangerous introspection. When this happens shortly before national elections, and when our neighborhood, Europe, and the whole world are on the brink of an explosion, our persistent efforts to gouge out each other's eyes lead to collective blindness.