have you missed the point of this life joke?!
I need to share this. But first some context. While in Ikaria I stayed at Nas Beach where, perched on the cliff overlooking the beach, is Thea’s Inn. Thea is a delight and looks after anyone who comes into her orbit. More on her and her inn soon… but you can learn how to make her soufiko here.
Meantime, Elias is Thea’s husband. A farmer who brought me his goat milk each morning while I was in Ikaria. And cactus fruit. And cucumbers. And always knew when I was about to walk into Thea’s for dinner. He walked outside to greet me, often with a wisdom perfectly suited to my mood. He’s somewhat psychic. Deeply heart-based.
Elias told me this “joke” while he drove me to put petrol in my motorbike the other morning (I’d run out and hitched home the night before). We were screaming along a dirt track and he was yelling back at me in his broken English:
A simple Greek fisherman finishes his day at the taverna and is drinking some Tsipouro (a Greek grappa). A German (it’s always a German in these Greek jokes) leans over and says, “Why only catch two or three fish on a single line when you could catch more… and with the money you earn you can buy a boat? It will make your life easier.”
The Greek takes things on board and the following year both men are drinking in the taverna at the end of the day and the German leans over and says, “OK, I see you’ve bought a boat. You’ve been successful. But why only one? Fish some more and buy another. And get some workers. You will become very successful. Life will be better.” It goes on for a few years in this way.
Finally, the Greek is drinking and socialising in the taverna and the German is back once more for his annual holiday. He says, “You’re here all day now. Why are you sitting around socialising all day. You should be out working!”. The Greek looks at the German incredulously and replies, “But wasn’t this the whole point?!?”
Yes, the whole point! Isn’t the whole point to work hard and do all the right things so you can stop and rest? Why would you do it otherwise?
I love this.
The tragic and telling German/Australian/American/(insert uptight nation of choice) ending, of course, would no doubt see the fisherman no longer able to enjoy a Tsipouro at the end of the day because he’s too stressed and busy managing his fishing fleet and staff.
This is the sad reality for many of us. It has been for me for 30-odd years. We lose sight of something so simple.
When Elias told me his “joke” I punched him.“That’s friggen perfect!” I said. He laughed out to the goat fields we were passing. He’d told me his “joke” on The Friggen Perfect Day that I needed to hear it, too. “Yes, it’s good you hear it today,” he said.
You might also like to read this about living with your rags that I wrote about a few days ago.
While I was in Greece, in the middle of this horrible crisis, the Greeks kept telling me that the Germans were imposing the harsh financial restrictions being suffered at the moment (the sense is that the whole fiasco very much stems from Germany and is linked to compensation that wasn’t paid to them after the war…long, complicated) because they’re jealous.
I’ve been told this over and over. The Germans are jealous. It’s the talk of the tavernas. “The Germans want what we have,” they say. The Western world (they seem to enjoy leaving themselves out of such a grouping) wants what they have.
I ask what it is that they have exactly…and the answer’s always rather loose.
Mostly a knowing smile.
Sometimes that lovely little cock of the head to the right with a little blink that they do, that says “Yes” and “Of course” and “some things don’t need to be said, but we’re on the same page and I’m going to acknowledge this with a gentle gesture”. Sometimes the answer is just a glass of watered down wine. Stin Iyiamas!
We may be jealous. Or not. It’s not the point.
I’m admiring. Admiring of the way they’re so proud of their way of life. What I find interesting is that this is a nation that rolls its eyes at the inefficiencies and corruptions, but at the end of their long, hot days, they truly believe they have things right.
It’s not arrogance. It’s a parochial knowing. And it’s a knowing they really want to share – they don’t just want to brag about it from on high. Greeks grab you and tell you to sit down and relax with them. They share adages that remind you everything is OK. They reach out to you when they see you stressed.
Sigs Siga, they say. Slowly, slowly.
As an aside: Greeks don’t tell. They show and share. When you ask for a direction, they don’t point and issue lefts and rights. They grab you by the arm and lead you two kilometres down the street, until you’re 75 per cent on your way. In Athens, when I asked for advice on an authentic restaurant to eat, the New Hotel’s manager Natassa (above) took me by the arm, grabbed a posse of friends and walked me to her favourite place (Paradosiako Oinomagirio) and dined with me.
I want to rewrite the ends of my jokes. You too?
If you hadn’t already sold me on Greece, this surely cements the deal.
There’s a quote I love – not sure who it’s from, and I guess it kind of misses your point somewhat – but helpful nevertheless.
“Humour is terribly important, because of all the human defence mechanisms, that one is the most mature. It allows us to realise that all of our life stories are going to end at some point and we’re all on that life boat together, and unless we can share the absurdity of our predicament with others then we’re going to lose some resilience.”
So, perhaps these glorious Greek folk have that aspect sorted too – the one where we all acknowledge our collective absurdity, crack a grin and (sigs siga) do what we please.
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Ironic that you mention Germany… the reason my family is even in Perth in the first place is due to being evacuated from Greece during the war while the Germans were bombing the place. There are thousands of Kastelorizians here, way more than on Kastelorizo now. Which is kind of sad, but Perth is so similar in climate (I’ve been told) with such a good economy I’m grateful they came here and were safe.
I’ve heard that joke before and always loved it. I don’t feel like I’m allowed to be happy with simple things. I keep expecting someone to tap me on the shoulder and demand I work more hours or be more serious. How silly is that?
I think the Greeks exaggerate about the Germans being jealous (Greeks are notoriously terrible at taking advice, even when their economy is falling into a hole and this time is no different) but I love the underlying vibe of your post. And I disagree with you – its complete arrogance! But they do it well, with a kind heart. Beautiful as always Sarah xx
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So sorry to write such a big comment, but I wanted to share this joke, which your joke reminded me of:
There was once a businessman, sitting by the beach in a small Mexican village. As he sat, he saw a Mexican fisherman rowing a small boat towards the shore and noticed that the fisherman had caught a number of big, beautiful fish.
The American was really impressed and asked the fisherman, “How long does it take you to catch so many fishes?”
The fisherman replied “Oh, just a short while.”
The businessman was astonished, “Then why don’t you stay longer at sea and you could catch even more?”
“Because this is enough to feed my whole family” the fisherman said.
The businessman then asked: “So, what do you do for the rest of the day then?”
The fisherman replied, “Well, I usually wake up early in the morning, go out to sea and catch a few fishes, then I would go back and play with my kids. In the afternoon, I take a nap with my wife, in the evening, I join my buddies in the village for a drink, play guitar, sing and dance throughout the night. My day is good.”
The businessman did not agree and offered a suggestion to the fisherman.
“I have a PhD from Harvard and specialise in business management. I could help you to become a more successful person. From now on, you have to spend more time at sea, try to catch as many fish as possible and sell them. And when you have saved enough money, you can buy a bigger boat and catch even more fish. As you go on, you will be able to afford to buy more boats, recruit more fishermen and lead a team of your own. Soon you will be able to set-up your own company, your very own production plant for canned food and do direct selling to your distributors. Then, you will have to move out of this village to Mexico city, and then expand your operation to LA, and finally to New York city, where you can set-up your headquarters to manage all your other branches.”
The fisherman asks, “So, how long would that take? ”
The businessman replied. “About 15 to 20 years”
The fisherman continued, “And after that?”
The businessman laughed, “After that, you can live like a king in your own house, and when the time is right, you can go public and float your shares in the Stock Exchange. By then you will be rich, your income will be in the millions!!”
The fisherman asked, “And after that?”
The businessman said, “After that, you can finally retire, you can move to a house by the fishing village, wake up early in the morning and catch a few fishes, then return home to play with the kids, have a nice afternoon nap with your wife, and when evening comes, you can join your buddies for a drink, play the guitar, sing and dance throughout the night!! ”
The fisherman was puzzled, “Isn’t that what I am doing now??”
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August 16th, 2012 at 9:28 am
I think this is in the Tim Ferris book, the 4 hour work week. I read it maybe 10 years ago? and it has stayed with me ever since. (If you haven’t read it you must!) I reread it again recently and this approach rings so true. We really have it so wrong sometimes, I saw something on tv the other night about japanese businessmen actually dying from overwork. They have a word for it because its that common, Karoshi. So sad. There has to be balance and seriously more to life than work!
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Well, I´m German, and I feel a bit annoyed reading this… simply said, if you drive your country into big financial problems and quite possible bankruptcy through amongst others corruption and a big percentage of people who don´t really pay taxes, plus “prettyfying” the financial situation in reports for years… what do you expect? I mean, you need to even this out somehow. You can´t really expect all the other countries in the Union to gift you lots of money and and plan to continue spending like you do?! How is this supposed to work? Of course there have to be harsh restrictions! What nonsense to call it jealousy.
It just really is so bad that the restrictions affect those the most that did cause the crisis the least… like, normal everyday folks who of course pay their taxes and don´t have a way around everything.
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August 16th, 2012 at 9:01 am
Agree completely. Most Greeks are still shitty at Germany for WW2. So accuse the Germans of being shitty about reparations post-WW1. The whole thing is pathetic and childish, and it annoys me when people would rather starve than let go of their ego and take potentially good advice that would save their country from poverty. I usually try to avoid talking politics with Greeks, I just don’t relate to the “I’m alway right” bullshit – I like to learn from my mistakes, not continually repeat them.
The Turkish were on the British side in WW2 until we screwed them, and then invaded their country and killed their sons, but still managed to erect monuments to the Anzacs, saying that our dead lay in their soil as their brothers. How beautiful is that? Yet the Greeks still can’t let go of their grudge when there are more important things at stake?
Makes me mad.
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August 16th, 2012 at 9:05 am
That last paragraph meant to say WW1, in reference to Gallipoli. Gah, typing on a phone, apologies.
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August 16th, 2012 at 7:18 pm
Haha I love that: “I like to learn from my mistakes, not continually repeat them.” Nicely said
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August 20th, 2012 at 5:26 pm
Also, ask a Greek about Macedonia – a people who’s existence they completely deny, murdered huge populations in what is now northern greece and threaten to kill if they did not change their name to be Greek and if the were heard to speak teir own language.
My grandmothers parents were killed by Greeks, she was left an orphan, her village burnt to the ground by them and to this day I still have younger generations of Greeks tell me there is no such thing as Macedonia.
No romanticism re: Greece for me.
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Absolutely loved this post, Sarah. Most enjoyable read I’ve had all week.
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Great joke and great point. Living in America we tend to live our lives with no real destination in the end. I love the line, “We lose sight of something so simple.”
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That’s exactly the joke this reminded me of.. Now I can’t remember where u read it.. May have been in The Joy of Not Working (great read BTW).. So many people live to work and not the other way around.. Granted, sometimes we are stuck and that seems like the only option we currently have.. But the important thing is to know/remember what you’re on this planet for, what really matters…
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August 16th, 2012 at 9:33 am
Hrm my comment was in reply to Jess above and the Mexican fishing village joke.. My iPhone doesn’t get along with a lot of these commenting systems..
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We’re in sync today Sarah! You might like to read the latest by Robert Skidelsky, How much is enough: the love of money and the case for a good life. It’s exactly the sentiment tackled by the book. I’m starting on it next week, can’t wait! On my blog today: http://econest.blogspot.com.au/
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Dear Sarah (and I mean dear),
You and your posts are a delight, and spread light too.
Keep going. Sounds like you are finding what you are looking for.
Alison
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It’s really easy to think, when we are on holiday, that life is simple and beautiful and we all can live in a simpler way, more connected to our friends and earth. I was in Sicily this year and felt exactly like that. I thought this was the perfect world: finish work early, go to the beach afterwards, eat great fish and other foods everyday, and just be happy with this simple pleasure. Why can’t I be like this back home? I want this lifestyle for my self. But the truth is we all have to work hard and who tells me tht the Sicilians don’t envy the cosmopolitan lifestyle of London? We have to work so that the we can travel the world and see other realities, but never assume that theses people are happier or funnier than us. Every place has their own issues, every person has their own issues and dreams to fulfill. It’s naive to think in a Mediterranean country they live better than us. It,s summer. The sunshine is strong, people are happy of course they are. and the wine tastes good but sooner or later it’s gonna have to be just a memory and we have to inevitably come back to the the good old days spent working. Life can be beautiful bot it shouldn’t be all the time. We have to fight for what we want. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when on holidays…
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August 16th, 2012 at 9:50 pm
Interesting comments Ines. Thanks for that insight.
lauren
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August 17th, 2012 at 8:46 pm
Very true Ines.
It’s tempting to be a permanent traveller. Not a bad idea, as it’s a way of avoiding the nonsensical minutiae which exist in any country you actually live, work and function in (even Greece!) and being continually thrilled instead with the new, and being very likely to encounter the wisdoms of locals all over the world!
I have been lucky to have the experiences of wonder, the tear-tempting warmth of stories about the way to live, the way we live, the way you live when I’ve met local people as far flung across the globe as Nigeria, Colombia, Greece, the Philippines and the USA. All wise, all nuggets and many suggesting a change in the way of living my life.
Each experience adds something to me, to who I am – it’s never ending.
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I agree with Steffi. The Greeks (as a nation) are largely in this mess through their own mis-management (and everything that entails, be it tax evasion, corruption, etc. remembering we elect representatives of the people…think about that one!).
Sarah, I like your blog. But I also like how you and some of the commentors here conveniently neglect that the very technology you’re all using came about through people doing exactly what the German/American/Australian/etc. in these lines of jokes do. Working hard and long hours. Persisting. Striving for perfection or a breakthrough. SACRIFICING (think about what).
Hey, I agree we work far too many hours. I personally believe a 4 day work week is the right mix. But I also think people are too quick to forget they’re apart of the system they supposedly are against. Indeed, they support it with their every decision – namely what they purchase, to what extent they inform themselves, who they lobby (or lack of), and who they vote for…
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oh, I forgot to mention.
Admire the Greeks (or Italians, or Spanish….pattern, no?) for their approach to life. But I guarantee almost everyone reading this blog saying “hellz yeah! go the greek way of life! booyah! that’s for me! down with work!”, would not pick the mess the Greeks are in (and are going to be in even more unless they pull their fingers out), over what we, or Norway, or Germany, or Austria, or France, or Canada, have….
The moral of all this? Work hard, but not too hard. Enjoy leisure, but not too much. So you’ll always appreciate the leisure, make sure the balance of your time is tipped towards working. And always remember, don’t be selfish. You’re apart of a community, and all of your actions and choices affect everyone else.
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Maybe it’s true to some extent that Germans are jealous of the Mediterranean lifestyle – but they’re definitely not jealous of the economical state of Greece, quite the opposite! The question has to be: how do you get both, material stability/sustainability (i.e. not living off others’ work) as well as the time and space to enjoy the life you have?
Or is it more about the simple *ability* to enjoy your life?
Recently I’ve read a lot about transgenerational trauma, more specifically about the traumas of the WW2/post-war era and how they not just affected the generations that had to live through real hardships or even life-threatening situations, but also those born after 1960 or so who have experienced nothing but peace and (relative) stability. It’s been truly eye-opening and I understand myself a lot better now; my almost compulsive need to always function at any cost, to always be going and doing, to constantly go for safety and material security, to always have a solution for every possible worst-case scenario at hand. Never stop, never relax, never let your guard down, never think you’re safe or that it’s enough! Those were the subconscious orders I was raised with – without being aware of it, of course. It’s only now that I start to understand and to detangle myself from this mess.
But just like others have mentioned, it wouldn’t be wise to simply swing to the other extreme. We all will have to find a middle ground eventually, for our own as well as everybody else’s sake.
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everything in life is bittersweet.
this post is funny, but it actually made me cry cus its so sad too.
talk about learning from mistakes and not continually repeating them ….. when are we ever gonna get it????
sigh …
xo
ps. looking forward to attending the upcoming kastellorizian ball in sydney, i will be observing the greeks from a new and varied viewpoint!
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Hmmm.. the way of life over there that you’re describing seems like a long lost truth that we all know is essential deep down.
We’re all here to connect, engage and love each other. We’re all here to communicate openly and honestly, and help a brother or sister out a little.
It’s amazing how our culture (western) is more and more becoming about building higher and higher fences between our neighbours and guarding our selves, our emotions and our honesty.
Shame.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/magazine/the-island-where-people-forget-to-die.html
Sarah, I was reading this article about a Greek man living in USA who was diagnosed with cancer at 60. instead of receiving expensive and toxic treatment he went home to Ikaria and is still alive today, 40 YEARS ON. I thought I was reading something you had written but it turns out it is another writer/journo. Anwyay, I couldn’t help but share this article with you to further entrench what an amazing place this island Ikaria really is.
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