The Cypriot wrote:I think Zionism is a greater and more dangerous mythology than Hellenism, GR. That Jews – after thousands of years of being scattered around the world – were able, in the 20th century, to turn Palestine into the modern Jewish state of Israel – simply because of a few religious stories in the Torah – is the reason why the Middle East is in the mess it's in.
Israel, like all nation states (including Greece) is a modern construct. But unlike most other modern states, it's largely constructed on land belonging to others (just like the 'TRNC').
But aside from the Israelis, and maybe the Egyptians, it's certainly true that only the modern Greeks's sense of self is so wrapped up in the myths and legends of thousands of years ago.
Perhaps if they and their Cypriot cousins spent more time living in the present and looking to the future, instead of convincing themselves ('cos no one else gives a flying fig) that Alexander was really "Greek" rather than "Macedonian"; perhaps if they spent less time resting on their laurels simply because their forefathers supposedly conquered everything, thought of everything and invented everything, we wouldn't need modern-day bins next to our modern-day toilets for our modern-day toilet paper.
Your average modern Brit doesn't spend time arguing that the ancient warrior Queen Boudicca was an ancient Brit, rather than a Celt or an Angle, to prove his sense of self. Your average Brit doesn't try and convince himself, let alone anyone else, that he is a direct (or even just cultural) descendant of the victorious Vikings, or the magnificent Normans or the superior Saxons. A lot has happened since then after all.
Most Brits think even the Battle of Britain – their country's "finest hour"– is ancient history. I expect they'd rather admire the contribution their nation makes to today's world of design, engineering, literature, music or film (I won't mention banking and financial services) for their sense of self.
Your average modern Italian doesn't spend time trying to convince himself that Julius Caeser was "Italian" rather than "Roman"; or both; to prove his sense of self. Nor is he filled with a huge sense of pride because of how dominant the Roman empire of 2,000 years ago was. Nor does he spend endless hours convincing himself that Archimedes was "Italian" rather than "Sicilian"; or get annoyed because those sad-old modern Greeks want to claim him too. He'd rather dream of owning a Lamborghini or staying in a Bvlgari hotel to feel good about himself.
I think you are sadly out of touch.
The genetics testing industry is booming because people want to know their roots!
BTW Greece is only a "modern construct" because of its hundreds of years of slavery.
Are you suggesting Cyprus is worthless because it is an even more "modern construct" (1960)?
