Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Royalties for Inventing Civilisation?" Yes", says Jean-Luc Godard "The Entire World Owes Money to Greece ..."

  Temple of Athena Lindia, Lindos - Rhodes 
Photo Source: Konstantina Fournari


 'Greece, 
Where do you think your money's going to come from? 
Royalties for inventing civilisation? '  


Never a truer word said in jest as Shakespeare said, this was the question asked by Seth at the beginning of the Tina Fey video in our previous post...


Royalties for Inventing Civilisation - What a great idea!  Why didn't we think of it?


Celebrated French film director Jean-Luc Godard didn't just think it, he said it  out loud in a recent interview for the magazine Les Inrockuptibles carried by Greek daily newspaper To Vima , protesting at what he called the appalling treatment of Greece by the Europeans. In fact rumour has it tonight that he refused to go to to the 63rd Cannes Film Festival for the same reason, despite the fact that his latest film was being screened this evening.



We should be thanking Greece...

The West owes much to Greece, the land of Philosophy, Democracy and Ancient Tragedy. We often forget the connection between ancient tragedy and Democracy. Without Sophocles there wouldn't be  Pericles. Without Pericles there wouldn't be Sophocles. The technologically advanced world that we live in owes everything to Greece... Who invented logic? Aristotle. If this and this then that....

The entire world owes money to Greece. This country could demand trillions in royalties and rights from the entire contemporary world. And it would be absolutely logical for  them to be given. Immediately...

«Θα έπρεπε να ευχαριστούμε την Ελλάδα »

« Η Δύση οφείλει πολλά στην Ελλάδα, τη χώρα της φιλοσοφίας, της δημοκρατίας, της αρχαίας τραγωδίας. Ξεχνάμε πάντα τους δεσμούς ανάμεσα στην τραγωδία και στη δημοκρατία. Χωρίς τον Σοφοκλή δεν θα υπήρχε ο Περικλής. Χωρίς τον Περικλή δεν θα υπήρχε ο Σοφοκλής. Ο κόσμος της τεχνολογίας μέσα στον οποίο ζούμε χρωστά τα πάντα στην Ελλάδα. Ποιος εφηύρε τη λογική; Ο Αριστοτέλης.» συνέχισε. 

« Ολος ο κόσμος χρωστά χρήματα στην Ελλάδα. Αυτή η χώρα θα μπορούσε να απαιτήσει τρισεκατομμύρια από όλους για τα συγγραφικά δικαιώματα των αρχαίων. Και θα ήταν απολύτως λογικό να της δοθούν. Αμέσως... 


On devrait remercier la Grèce

C’est l’Occident qui a une dette par rapport à la Grèce. La philosophie, la démocratie, la tragédie… On oublie toujours les liens entre tragédie et démocratie. Sans Sophocle pas de Périclès. Sans Périclès pas de Sophocle. Le monde technologique dans lequel nous vivons doit tout à la Grèce. Qui a inventé la logique ? Aristote. Si ceci et si cela, donc cela. Logique. C’est ce que les puissances dominantes utilisent toute la journée, faisant en sorte qu’il n’y ait surtout pas de contradiction, qu’on reste dans une même logique. Hannah Arendt avait bien dit que la logique induit le totalitarisme. Donc tout le monde doit de l’argent à la Grèce aujourd’hui. Elle pourrait demander mille milliards de droits d’auteur au monde contemporain et il serait logique de les lui donner. Tout de suite.

Food for thought indeed, but Greece won't be doing that...Ancient Greece's legacy to the world stands despite the severe economic problems the country is facing right now.  

Greece's unique and unparalleled history, culture and civilisation are what our ancestors left us  in trust for future generations, and we have chosen to share that wealth with the entire world, at no extra charge. 

It is our duty, our honour and our privilege. 

Noblesse Oblige...as our French friends would say.

Thanks for the support, Jean-Luc Godard! It means so very much!

Merci Beaucoup,  
  
Ευχαριστούμε Πολύ! 


Magnificent Moon rising over Cape Sounion - Temple of Poseidon
Photo source: Anthony Ayiomamitis www.perseus.gr

3 comments:

  1. Excellent idea, I totally agree. The world owes Greece!

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Moonrise photo belongs to Anthony Ayiomamitis:
    www.perseus.gr

    ReplyDelete

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