Greece in front of the mirror

We Greeks tend to overreact and be too harsh on ourselves. We often overlook or quickly forget successes and accomplishments, but are quick to find faults and failures. We rarely credit our political opponents or rival parties for doing the right thing, believing that "our guys" are always in the right and working for the good of the nation, while the "others" are always wrong.

Foreign and security policy issues are a typical example of this attitude, where many are quick to accuse the rival camp of folding because it chose to pursue a policy they disagree with.

Nevertheless, despite the many enduring afflictions of the Greek system, the gaps, oversights and bad habits, despite the discord and division, and the many, many things that need to be fixed, Greece can today - 50 years after the restoration of democracy - look itself in the mirror with optimism.

The...