It is a man's world?

Believers of equal rights claim that women’s voting emancipation  and their active role in society are undoubtedly some important achievements of the 20^th century. However, the gap between West and East is still wide.

First of all, it is encouraging that more and more women are participating in different governmental schemes and make themselves heard. For instance, the former government of Italy was constituted of many women. Additionally, many Scandinavian countries like Norway, Sweden and Finland have led the way in terms of showing legal support to women. The equality means that women have the same obligations as men and can compete on equal terms as men. Women work as well as men and they are equally intelligent as men, but stereotypes distort the reality. Consequently, the upbringing of a child is not only a woman’s but also a man’s role. Moreover, it is a fallacy that women are the “weak gender” and a healthy society treats all people equally.  

Another issue is that women in underdeveloped or developing countries are pressurized by men. Women in Middle East  were previously forbidden from voting, but due to feministic movements women in the 2015 local elections have been allowed to vote for the first time, but their daily lives remain severely restricted.  It is shocking that under the patriarchal system where they live in, girls and women cannot travel, work or even walk without the permission from their male guardians. Women stay at home and they are only responsible for their house and their children. Religion and tradition are blended together and create an insurmountable barrier that could not be surpassed by women.

Humanity has a long way towards equality and the most effective way to achieve it is education, as history has shown educated people are open-minded and they have all the ways to fight against discrimination. 

Media and disability

Media use to show the one side of the coin, as they show only one aspect and not the various facets of a disabled person’s life. On the one hand are the disabled who they want a better representation, on the other hand, the media, which are trapped in a false consciousness. Media are a product of society and they do not reflect right the world, they influence people’s lives using wrongly their power. But, they can educate and broaden the horizons of the audience playing simultaneously a central role to their information.

Today, the word "disabled" causes much debate, as Around 10 percent of the world’s population, or 650 million people, live with a disability (United Nations Report). According to Oxford Dictionary disabled is someone who by disease, injury, or accident has limited movements, senses, or activities.  Representations of the “Other” reflect the operations of power. For instance, disabled people are usually represented from a non - disabled perspective. The role of the media is crucial in this situation, as the representation of the disabled is limited and largely stereotypical.

Stuart Hall (2013) studied how stereotypes fix and limit the meaning and their influence on representation. He found that stereotypes are a bunch of ideas or images which are based on the limited knowledge of this group. Stereotypes can be positive or negative, but the most important and perilous characteristic of them is that they can reinforce discrimination. Stereotypes play also an important role in the concept of representation. Barker (1997) media represent stereotypes even if they are inaccurate by their own way using various accuracy techniques in order to gain audience acceptance.

Martz (2001) states that there is no universal agreement regarding perfection. She explains that the concept of perfection is subjective and every person approaches it by his own way according to his cultural and social background. People look desperately to find perfection, but no one is perfect because according to her humans are multidimensional. So, if people bear in mind this true, then there would be no discrimination. In a world that is not perfect, we must not try desperately to find perfection. 

The refugee crisis in Europe

Up to now more than 705.200 refugees and immigrants have arrived in Europe crossing  Mediterranean sea in 2015. According to United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), more than 3.210 persons have died or they are missing. More specifically, more than 562.355 refugees have arrived in Greece and 140.000 in Italy. The majority of them are Syrians and a small group of people come from different African or Asian countries. Babies and children are still drowning in the Aegean Sea and now it is more evident than never that Greece and Italy should not shoulder the burden alone. 

The refugee crisis is not only a humanitarian but also a political issue and has raised oppositions. Greece offers hospitality to hundreds of refugees and at the same time other European countries want to build fences and close their borders. The inability of Europe to deal with the refugee crisis in conjunction with the rise of far-right and xenophobic powers put at risk the unity of the European Union. On the one hand, Pier Moskovisi stated that Europe must not respond with ethnicism to refugee crisis. On the other hand, many European countries among them Hungary, Austria, Poland, Slovakia and Czech Republic express their fears and disagreements. The main fear is the Islamization of Europe and the spoiling of Christian element.

The EU has a number of problems to tackle for it to survive and the refugee crisis is one of them. Europe rejects Greek arguments about the difficulties of patrolling its maritime borders with Turkey and explicitly warned Athens about a Schengen expulsion. The unspoken truth is that is not Greece’s responsibility to stop immigrant trafficking on Turkeys coastline. It is believed that the European Union’s reaction came very late.  European leaders agreed to enhance control on the outer borders of Europe with personnel funded by the EU. At the same time, Greece should receive financial aid as an entry point.

From their part refugees are asylum seekers. They want to find a safe place away from the fear of war and for them Europe is their own promised land. They do not want to live in Greece mainly  Germany and North Europe is their terminal. They are skilled people who want to make a new beginning in Europe.

To summarize if Europe wants to retain its economic stability and unity then all the all the  European Union members should follow a common policy regarding the refugee crisis. The refugees are not enemies or terrorists there are people in need who need or help and support.  Europe should reexamine the refugees crisis without social bias and economic fears.

The rise of solo living

The movement of solo living was  born in Sweden in the 60's and slowly but steadily has spread to Southern Europe. It is not only a women’s movement but also a way of life towards greater autonomy. At present, women are studying, working, struggling to earn a place in the sun. More and more women are living alone and they prefer their loneliness than share their life with another person. Based on the findings of social scientists it can be argued that one in four women live alone.

More specifically, according to sociologist Jean-Paul Kaufmann, who has devoted a book to the question "The only Woman and Prince Charming", women live alone promoting the model of independent and successful woman. The fervent supporters of solo living go out with their friends and have lovers without commitments. Consequently, they live solo, but not lonely. They are happy as well, fully engaged in the active life, without men.

Contrary to this, the social pressure is unbearable for solo women. It is believed that women’s place is at home and the ultimate goal of life is to get married and have kids.  They love their freedom and autonomy and feel uncomfortably when they apologise for their personal choices.

The dilemma becomes less bearable when their biological clock start ticking. They feel alone when their girlfriends betray them and get married. The dilemma is to compromise or not to compromise? To follow the social rules or to wait for  the right guy? Even if the image of Prince Charming has never forgotten, they are not ready or eager to  give up their independence at any price.

To summarize, Kaufmann believes that even if some women prefer freedom and autonomy and the solo living movement has started well the truth is that women want to be loved and secure. 

Greece urgently needs the kiss of life

• 1 million people live under the poverty line
•  the unemployment rate has increased to 27.6%

 The economy in Greece goes from bad to worse and the economic crisis is getting stronger and stronger. While the International Monetary Fund  is insisting that Greece needs to adopt new austerity measures to the tune 6.7 billion Euros from 2014 to 2016 bearing in mind that should 1 million people live under the poverty line. According to the Hellenic Statistics Authority (ELSTAT), Greece’s unemployment rate is continuing to increase, reaching 27.6 % percent in July 2013. It is very sad that 21,000 people are homeless,  the vast majority of them is young people of working age. According to Kiel Institute the unemployment in Greece will be augmented reaching the 31% in 2014.

 Sociologists and political scientists argue that a country with this percentages goes to chaos and social turmoil. Moreover, the increased number of suicides in Greece in the three-year period between 2009 and 2011 represents a trend that shows no sign of economic development. Tragic dimension takes the phenomenon of suicides in Greece  because of the crisis, according to official figures from the Ministry of Citizen Protection during the period 1.1.2009 - 28.8.2012 the activity carried suicides and attempts amounted to 3,124 nationwide. However, it is worth noting that, despite the new negative inflation,   the market basket will be heavier from 1 January 2014 while thousands of our fellow citizens are unable to buy basic consumer goods. Although new taxes to be imposed have been voted out last year and calculated the new state budget, it does not exclude the possibility of increases and new taxes or , if not met the fiscal targets or has not been voted in its entirety the budget.

Citizens try to survive in a blurred economic and political scenery and they claim that is not fair for a country which is in the 28^th place of Gross National Product to suffer from such an  economic crisis. According to Mahatma Gandhi poverty is the worst form of violence and sure it is. I am afraid that there is no light at the end of the tunnel and that for Greece the development and economic growth is still an utopia, a  far dream rather than a reality.    

The value of play

Nowadays children do not have enough free time, due to their rigid school program. Children enjoy playing and learning through different games but why children are nowadays more anxious and depressed?

The majority of children in modern societies suffer from anxiety and depression and lack of imagination and creativity.  Children need time, love and devotion and their parents or teachers  must not underestimate the importance of play. According to the American Journal of Play children's play time has declined but free play is of paramount importance for a child for many reasons.  Children need to play because through this process they develop their creativity and their imagination. Moreover, children feel happy and pass their free time insouciantly, without worries and responsibilities. Additionally, game gives them the opportunity to escape from their routine and is  beneficial not only for their health but also for their emotional development.

More specifically, play is undoubtedly beneficial for every child because does not entertain himself through play but also develops his social skills and psychological needs. For instance, children who have speech impairments can improve their difficulties via playing because they do not feel stressed and they are free of any adult supervision. Additionally, children trough playing develop their social skills and learn how to behave. Needless to say that minors become more sociable as they play with their peers with whom they have so many things in common. Furthermore, children who do not have siblings learn how to share their things with others and how not to be the centre of attention. Children become more tolerant to any kind of difference. For instance, children can play together without caring if  their playmate is black or white, discrimination and racism are two words completely unknown to them.

It has been shown that play is the best preferable way for children to spend their free time because through play they relax, feel more happy and create lifetime memories. 

Yes or No this is the big question

After months of negotiations, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras called a referendum on the country’s bailout programme, asking from people to  vote yes or no to austerity and economic measures, but Europe insists that “No”  could not bring a prosperous future for Greek people and will lead the country to political and economic isolation.

On the one side Greek government expressing overtly a “No” strategy believing that it is the right time to put an end to austerity and poverty. As Alexis Tsipras said Greece is calling to vote for its future and that he will respect every democratic decision, but he says that if Greeks approve the EU’s aid plan, Syriza will resign. “Democracy deserved a boost in euro-related matters. We just  delivered it. Let people decide”, wrote in his personal accounts on Twitter, Greece’s finance minister Yanis Varoufakis.

On the other side, ECB and IMF argue that the fear of Grexit is more eminent than never and urge yes vote. They put the blame on Greek government saying that the Greek team was insufficient during negotiations in Brussels. Moreover, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has said he feels betrayed by Alexis Tsipras and believes that Greek will say yes to Europe yes to development. Additionally, Great Britain, Germany and France have a common stance on Greek crisis and try to imagine the best plan for the safety of Eurozone.

The truth is that the Greek economy  goes from bad to worse and the economic crisis is getting stronger and stronger and people have done many economic sacrifices for a stronger tomorrow, but this has never come. While the International Monetary Fund  is insisting that Greece needs to adopt new austerity measures, more than one million people live under the poverty line. According to the Hellenic Statistics Authority (ELSTAT), Greece’s unemployment rate is continuing to increase, reaching 27.6 % percent in June 2015. It is very sad that 21,000 people are homeless,  the vast majority of them is young people of working age.  According to sociologists and political scientists a country with these percentages goes to chaos and social turmoil and they argue that a social change is needed. Moreover, the increased number of suicides in Greece in the three-year period between 2009 and 2011 represents a trend that shows no sign of economic development. However, it is worth noting that, despite the new negative inflation,   the market basket will be heavier from January 2014 while thousands of our fellow citizens are unable to buy basic consumer goods. Although new taxes to be imposed have been voted out last year and calculated the new state budget , it does not exclude the possibility of increases and new taxes or, if not met the fiscal targets or has not been voted in its entirety the budget.

Even if the banks are closed and after the imposition of capital controls, the majority of people are confused, afraid and they do not know how to vote, but they try to take the best decision not only for the present but also for the future generations. A major political compromise from all sides is needed in order to remain Europe united and strong.