Shopaholic Reform: The Greek Lowdown

Tuesday, October 5

The Greek Lowdown

So I should start this post by telling you that there's just absolutely no way I am going to account for every penny I spent in Greece. It's just way to much work and I have neither the time nor patience for such an undertaking. Suffice it to say I did a healthy amount of shopping and a healthier amount of eating while in Greece.

Here are some of the highlight purchases...

Many, many, many paintings (presents for Aaron and I, family and some friends)
Ouzo (booze for the brother)
Jewelry (for myself and family)
Olive oils soap (presents for my mom, aunt, and nan)
T-shirts (for me, and my dad)

As for the food....delicious. Did you know that you could get a vegetarian gyro! Holy hell is it delicious. Also, they put french fries in the gyros in Greece. Genius.

Sunset in Naxos.

Some other interesting tidbits I picked up on while I was gallivanting about...

There isn't any lettuce in a greek salad in greece. Just cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, feta, olives, and capers (sometimes)
Feta is so much more delicious in Greece
Sea-band bracelets are a savior for anyone who gets seasick
Baklava isn't all that prevalent
Stray dogs and cats are everywhere (cue me wanting to adopt each and every one of them...one special pup in particular, who we named "Big Megs." If I could have figured out a way to get her through customs she'd be in the U.S. right now)
There's an ungodly amount of graffiti covering every surface other than protected ruins in Athens
My fear of fish runs deep
The London Heathrow Airport is the most miserable airport in the world, which I will avoid like the plague from this day forward.

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Something to Chew On...

The downside to Globalization

1. “The general complaint about globalization is that it has made the rich richer while making the non-rich poorer. It is wonderful for managers and investors, but hell on workers and nature.”¹

2. Multinational corporations are accused of social injustice, unfair working conditions (including slave labor wages and poor living and working conditions), as well as a lack of concern for the environment, mismanagement of natural resources, and ecological damage.

3. Multinational corporations which were previously restricted to commercial activities are increasingly influencing political decisions. Many think there is a threat of corporations ruling the world because they are gaining power due to globalization.

4. Opponents say globalization makes it easier for rich companies to act with less accountability. They also claim that countries’ individual cultures are becoming overpowered by Americanization.

5. Anti-globalists also claim that globalization is not working for the majority of the world. During the most recent period of rapid growth in global trade and investment, 1960 to 1998, inequality worsened both internationally and within countries. The UN Development Program reports that the richest 20 percent of the world's population consume 86 percent of the world's resources, while the poorest 80 percent consume just 14 percent.

6. Some experts think that globalization is also leading to the incursion of communicable diseases. Deadly diseases like HIV/AIDS are being spread by travelers to the remotest corners of the globe.

7. Globalization has led to exploitation of labor. Prisoners and child workers are used to work in inhumane conditions. Safety standards are ignored to produce cheap goods. There is also an increase in human trafficking.

8. Social welfare schemes or “safety nets” are under great pressure in developed countries because of deficits and other economic ramifications of globalization.

As manufacturing continues to decline, so does our ability to innovate. In the long term, this means fewer well-paid jobs, lower productivity, declining wages, declining living standards and low economic growth. Globalization is a big part of this decline and will affect all jobs and all sectors of the economy. From the point of view of multinational corporations and Wall Street investors, globalization is probably viewed as a wonderful phenomenon with many opportunities. But from the point of view of American manufacturers, manufacturing workers, the middle class, professional service workers and overall economic growth, I think the disadvantages far out weigh the advantages.

-Mike Collins, The Pros and Cons of Globalization (2010)