Friday, May 21, 2010

Greece Channels Flint, Michigan

Greece's economic troubles may have different origins than Flint's ongoing problems, but the solution sounds strangely familiar.
"Prime Minister George Papandreou said this week that Greece needs to see strong investment in order for the austerity program to work," write Peter Boone and Simon Johnson in their Economix blog. "While the government cuts fiscal spending, he said, it needs new private business to employ the dismissed workers so that they are productive, can pay taxes and do not need unemployment benefits."
Hey, how hard can that be to pull off? Perhaps Greece should consider a theme park celebrating the ancient philosophers. They could call it SocratesWorld.



8 comments:

  1. that is brilliant! The best ride would be "Plato's Cave" Hah!!

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  2. Don't forget the "Form and Matter Gift Shop." Plato's Cave would also be a great name for a bar.

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  3. Now look what you all made me do..

    http://sonofneocles.blogspot.com/2010/05/flint-michigan-offers-athens-panacea.html

    The management of Socrates World (tm) is now taking public feedback as they build the concept of Socrates World. In particular, they are requesting ideas for rides and attractions that would be of interest to tourists. A sampling of suggestions from our steering committee, to give you some idea what we are looking for:




    Thrill ride similar to Disney Space Mountain:


    Plato's Cave


    Beverage stop for adults:


    Rene D's I Drink Therefore I am


    Disorienting House of Mirrors, optical illusions, and horrors:

    Hegel's Hideaway

    Game Room with Norwegian themed decor (pinball, video games, prize games, three card Monty, and the like):

    Ludwig's Magic Hut

    Women's Apparel shop:

    Artie Schopenhauer's He-man Woman's-lovers Boutique

    These are but a few ideas we have had, and we invite public input, at the hearing scheduled for July 12 in the Agora

    Your Socrates World (tm) team,

    Ari the Stageirite, Harry the Ephesian, Demi the Abderan, Parmen the Elean.

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  4. Greece needs a leader like Don Williamsonopolis and his sizigos, Patsy Lou ;)

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  5. Plato's Cave, maybe. Plato's Retreat has already been done. Twice.

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  6. Now if AutoWorld had been more like NYC's Plato's Retreat, it might have made some money.

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  7. It's broadly recognized by sociologist-types that, in each country where automobiles have become commonly affordable, the privacy and relative comfort provided by the automobile to teenagers has significantly re-shaped social behaviors.

    Maybe AutoWorld could have been a museum celebrating the nexus of automobiles and sexuality.

    I suppose that probably wouldn't have been perceived as a family destination, though.

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Thanks for commenting. I moderate comments, so it may take a while for your comment to appear. You might enjoy my book about Flint called "Teardown: Memoir of a Vanishing City," a Michigan Notable Book for 2014 and a finalist for the 33rd Annual Northern California Book Award for Creative NonFiction. Filmmaker Michael Moore described Teardown as "a brilliant chronicle of the Mad Maxization of a once-great American city." More information about Teardown is available at www.teardownbook.com.