ABSTRACT
Referring to the Greek crisis as a “tragicomedy” seems sarcastic and inappropriate. It has been a genuine tragedy for millions of Greeks who have suffered tremendously from wage and pension cuts and seen their standard of living decline precipitously. A quarter of the labor force is jobless, and only 15 percent of them receive unemployment benefits. The old retiree slouched on the walkway and bereft because he is unable to take out his weekly 55 euros from an ATM does not deserve what is happening to him. It’s impossible not to sympathize with him and hundreds of thousands like him.
