OpiniON Hungary

Start counting your chickens

2009-08-11T21:13:00.002+02:00

A growing number of people recognize the importance of healthy eating. At least, there is slowly but steadily growing concern about the physiological effects of artificial substances contained in the food we eat. Organic food is generally thought to be expensive and unavailable to many consumers, but supermarkets and biofood shops are not the only sources available. In Hungary, country-side families seem to re-discover certain values of a not so long forgotten way of life. More and more people produce home-grown vegetables and fruits in the garden. They also keep goats and hens for their eggs. All this was an organic part of everyday life one or two generations ago. Does it mean that we are going back in time and the development of our society and economy is now in reverse? Certainly not! I believe we are taking small steps to a different direction. One where the rules of consumer society are not so dominant, and this actually does suit my taste.

Overheard

2009-07-31T12:27:00.012+02:00

..an elderly lady talking to her husband on her cell-phone while travelling on the bus on a Monday morning in Budapest. "yes, they are both fine, the baby was born last night, there were no complications, everything is all right...but, listen, I came upon two unattended dogs on the pavement this morning as I was descending the stairs to the underpass. They looked badly-fed and... will you have a look?" The conversation was short and simple and the husband's responses were easy to guess. Lost in random thoughts inspired by what I had overheard, I visualized scenes from the decent life of an old couple when a middle-aged woman decided to give voice to her undisciplined disagreement. She walked over to the old lady and briefly explained her concerns making sure there is no time for response and got off the bus quickly after withdrawing her forefinger. The core of her argument articulated in one statement: there are people lying in the street! Since it was minutes after their private phone discussion with her husband, this out-of-nowhere verbal attack puzzled the old lady. Being harshly criticized for showing sympathy for animals was not something she was prepared to handle the day after her grandchild was born.

Your blog in a hundred years' time

2009-03-22T17:02:00.001+01:00

Let your imagination soar! Do you believe it is possible that the post you have just saved on your website... Why not? Modern technology enabled mankind to make an immeasurable amount of data available on the internet. What happens to all this information? Does anyone ever housekeep this vast and ever-growing network of interconnected computer networks? Of course, every server has its lifespan and needs to be replaced at some point, but many servers have backup tapes and any information accessible on the worldwide web can be multiplied. By the time the original 'copy' is deleted, there will have been hundreds of replicas; therefore it is quite imaginable that your blog will survive the century. Our modern history is being recorded almost in real-time on the internet. In a hundred years' time this immense quantity of data will be the source of historical research. We can also anticipate that the offsprings of our great grandchildren will show interest in ancient blog archives. Think twice before pressing the 'publish' button to avoid misinforming future generations. Will they understand why so many people spent precious hours of their time writing blogs? Let's hope the answer is yes and be self-assured enough to say they will find valuable content and have a good time reading it in 2109.

Positive side effects?

2009-03-02T07:14:00.001+01:00

Nobody knows how many people would fall victim of the global crisis, not to mention the magnifying effects of the Hungarian recession we had already felt before the worldwide avalanche started. One of the inevitable consequences of the present economic and social situation in Hungary is that individuals learn to look after themselves and to take responsibility. Limited choices remain when we can no longer expect the government and our social systems to ensure our lifelong existence and contribute to our relative well-being: protest, fall or adapt. Learning to make long-term future plans, thinking actively about the years ahead trying to find the narrow window of opportunity in today’s turmoil are the options for the ones who choose to look ahead.

How does your government perform in the ongoing global crisis?

2009-02-24T23:23:00.001+01:00

Are you satisfied with the suggestions the political elite in your country has to offer? Do they fill you with confidence or do they discourage you? It is not easy for an ordinary citizen like me to assess how critical the situation is. What I know is that we are in trouble. But how deep? I hear the word 'crisis' every day and it starts loosing its meaning - like the images of massacres and car bomb explosions on the news - I am getting used to it. At the same time, I keep reminding myself to stay alert because what is happening now is likely to change our future. I believe the Hungarian politicians fail the people they are entrusted to represent. There is no chance in our country that the opposition party (Fidesz, ex-PM Viktor Orbán) and the socialists (MSZP, PM Ferenc Gyurcsány) set aside own agendas and unite their political power for the good of the nation. They can afford to go down the good old path putting political survival ahead of common interests because Hungary is the home of no consequences. Of course, consequences will follow and the price the people pay will be high, maybe higher than ever... we will know soon enough.

Global financial and economic crisis

2009-02-21T23:00:00.006+01:00

We live in times of sweeping change and uncertainty. I doubt anyone can see the light at the end of the tunnel - many do not even know which tunnel they are in... Nouriel Roubini (Professor of Economics at the Stern School of Business at New York University) has predicted the crisis well in advance and was ignored for a long time, but has now become a recognized world-class economist. His predictions are still pessimistic, in his latest interview he talks about the temporary nationalization of insolvent US banks and the growing risks Europe's banking system needs to face as emerging economies - including Hungary - move closer to bankruptcy. I am afraid the worst has yet to come, and this is going to be a permanent recession that we will have to adapt to.

Save energy, turn off your mobile!

2008-11-29T21:02:00.003+01:00

Mobile phones have become part of our life in a matter of years. Our mobile is with us wherever we go and most of us never turn it off. There are professions where immediate availability is necessary, but the vast majority of mobile phone users are ordinary people. Many Hungarian children become happy mobile owners during their kindergarten years and learn to use cell phones before learning to read. I heard stories of teachers complaining about parents who call their children at school when they are still in class. I’m more than sure that these parents use this gift of modern technology to compensate for something – maybe for the time they failed to spend with their kids for various reasons. Have you ever thought about what you might miss or gain when you are not hooked up to any satellite? The first time I bitterly regretted having a mobile was when my boss gave me a ring while I was on holiday to say they desperately need me at work the day after. Of course, it turned out to be a false alarm, but – since I’m a man who can learn from his mistakes – it made me think and eventually realize that mobile phones are overused. If you have read this far and still do not totally disagree you might want to consider this: use mobile phones only when necessary, cut the conversations short, turn it off when you go to sleep. My special gift for those of you who are still online is a brain-teaser: 2455 2546866 The numbers hide the name of an American politician. Hint: Mick Jagger = 6425 524437 Have you got your mobile with you? Good luck!

Family ties

2008-11-23T07:34:00.004+01:00

Unconditional acceptance, respect and loyalty, affection that expects nothing in return - so many positive expressions. Is this going to be a post about the Western misinterpretation of an Eastern phylosophy that teaches people how to cut corners on their way to happiness? Hopefully not. Are families important in today's society? The number of broken homes is increasing. Less and less people are capable of living in families and/or less decide to try to. I believe, however, that families are indispensable building blocks of our society. In less developed countries and in countries like Hungary where middle and lower classes of society are poles apart families are the key to survival in times of financial hardship for the poor. It is always easier to overcome difficulties if united. There are many different types of hard situations in life when turning to your family for support is the last resort. How do families endure the individualism of modern life? Capitalism stresses competition and individualism. This - when misunderstood - results in the distortion of human relationships - and I think it is often misunderstood in immature democracies. Talking about the unconditional acceptance of another person sounds almost like a joke in a community like this. The good news is that families existed in ancient times and will not cease to exist, however, their role constantly changes throughout generations.

„The truth is rarely pure and never simple.”

2008-11-09T21:33:00.004+01:00

Why do I have mixed feelings about the production of foie gras in Hungary? First and foremost, I feel sorry for the animals. As far as I know, all countries involved int he production of fat liver follow the same method, therefore all duks and geese are bound to udergo the same old process of force feeding. As a result of the international campaign of a Vienna-based animal rights group (Four Pawn) Hungary’s largest-capacity poultry processor (Hungerit) had to stop its slaughters in September and announced their plan to lay off 200 workers. Four Pawn blacklisted the products exported by Hungerit and some multi-national supermarket chains joined them in their battle for animal rights. The international reputation of Hungary’s poultry processing industry has suffered a major blow and the consequent financial loss is significant – not to mention that hundreds of families -employees and suppliers- have lost their only source of living. France recognized the potential risks that lie beneath the strengthening of groups like Four Pawn and the growing refusal concerning the controversial feeding process: Foie gras has been declared part of France's heritage and is now under cultural protection.

Force-fed geese – Foie gras

2008-11-06T10:05:00.003+01:00

Fat liver (Foie gras) is the liver of force-fed ducks and geese. Foie gras is a well-known luxury dish in French cuisine and is consumed worldwide. France is by far the world’s largest producer of fat liver, Hungary is the second one. Here is a question that is easy to answer: Are you against the force-feeding of animals? Fat liver production is banned in fourteen European countries – Denmark, Germany, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Austria, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Ireland and Great Britain - because of the possible health consequences of the feeding process. My second question is: Would you like to taste foie gras? All countries listed above continue to import fat liver even after banning its poduction.

Special destination - Ipolytarnóc Fossils

2008-11-04T06:46:00.010+01:00

Most tourists visit the capital city first, and that is usually the place where the journey ends. Many other destinations remain undiscovered. If you stay a little longer, you might want to see something different after exploring the city of Budapest - places not featured in travel brochures. I do not want this blog to be a site where travel destinations are advertised, but this one is my childhood favourite, probably unknown to many Hungarians too. The following website is dedicated to the Ipolytarnóc Fossils Nature Reserve: http://web.kvvm.hu/ipolytarnoc/index.php?p=en_home Ipolytarnóc is a small village situated 140 kilometers North East of Budapest in Nógrád County. This site is Hungarian only, but has many pictures and if you skim through the pages, I think it might give you a glimpse of the village - so let the images speak for themselves: http://www.falvak.hu/falu.php?falunev=ipolytarnoc/&a=/var/www/www.falvak.hu/ipolytarnoc

Hospitality - welcome to Hungary

2008-11-01T06:43:00.002+01:00

Hungary has a reputation for being... Well, this is something I cannot tell because I have never visited my country as a foreigner. Of course I could tell you what I like to think - and mybe I will.. but I'd like YOU to come first! Tell me what you have experienced, share your memories (good or bad) after your trip to Hungary, or simply finish the first sentence of this post...

Rural Hungary

2008-10-30T06:39:00.005+01:00

I used to live in a small viallage and finished my secondary school in a country town - the one I mentioned before. My English teacher always encouraged me to write 'essays' on various topics. The title of one of these - I still remember - was "Those who live in a village never feel lonely". I no longer agree with what I used to suppose when I was sixteen, yet, I still believe there is something 'human' about villages. Most Hungarian villagers are owners of the houses they live in. Even if the roof is about to fall, there is a place for them to call home. It is highly unlikely to find a regular job in villages, therefore many commute. Villages, however, have a preserving force and provide a kind of unorganized social security that is not observed in towns.

One possible reason

2008-10-27T22:08:00.002+01:00

One possible reason I can think of is that we are afraid of missing opportunities. Be the first to get on the bus, be the first to pay at the cashier - seemingly without any sane motives; a quality inherited (and amplified?) throughout generations. This attitude -of being the first at any cost- can result in real success in the fields of science and sports where the objectives are clearly defined. We may just have to arrive at a nationwide agreement on what path to follow as a sovereign nation/member of the EU/tiny but conscious player in the global economy to become more successful and make use of our latent potential.

Queues

2008-10-27T07:55:00.003+01:00

My previous post may not project a very nice image of this country, but that is not my goal here. Nevertheless I need to come up with some explanations, because I do not think we are an ignorant lot lacking the brainpower to live our everyday life and relate to one another in a way that is considered normal..

Stand in a queue

2008-10-26T19:04:00.005+01:00

I've just returned from a country town and I'm full of vivid memories of what it feels like to stand in a line waiting for the queue to be absorbed. No, I am wrong here... there are no waiting lines in Hungary, we have waiting mass instead with each individual following their own path...

French lesson on Saturday

2008-10-24T23:13:00.001+02:00

I believe it is very important to learn languages, especially when your mother tongue is spoken by fifteen million people only. It was obligatory to learn Russian at primary school when I was a child - how bizarre. Not that I didn't like it, actually, I was delighted when I first translated and understood a couple of sentences, fragments of a speech a Russian politician made on tv apropos of his visit to Hungary. This was my first 'international' experience. Most of that knowledge has faded, except for some evergreen sentences, such as the Russian equivalent of "Miss, I report you that today nobody is absent" Thanks to the unfortunate 20th century history of Hungary, everyone above the age of twenty-five remembers a few of these phrases.

The remains of the day

2008-10-23T23:25:00.004+02:00

Spent most of my day at work, saw no traffic on the roads this morning, many 'fled' from Budapest today and chose to take a shopping trip to Austria, visit relatives or simply stay at home, commemorations and demonstrations began and ended, (less than expected) violence took place and was handled by police forces... The form of government in Hungary is democracy - make no mistake about it, dear reader. That is one reason why all the above can happen in one day. Let's not prefix the word 'democracy' today.

23 October 1956 – The Hungarian Revolution

2008-10-22T22:58:00.002+02:00

Tomorrow is the fifty-second anniversary of the Hungarian revolution against the communist regime. A day to remember, celebrate and honor the memory of the people who dared to stand up and fight agains the overwhelming dictatoric power. Chances are good that celebrations will not make headlines. Sadly enough, people expect street violence and vandalism in Budapest.

What money can buy

2008-10-22T07:13:00.003+02:00

Hungary has not escaped the global economic turmoil. Everyone in this country is and/or will be affected. The downturn of the global economy has hit Hungary at the worst possilbe time, a time of recession. How does the average hungarian citizen react to all this? We are being asked to be prepared to pay the price for the present (and recent) crisis so that the government can settle a more secure future.

Things that money can't buy

2008-10-21T07:03:00.003+02:00

There are those, who understand what this really means and those who never will. I believe we can find the representatives of both groups among the rich as well as among the poor and those who strive to succeed. The rich are probably somewhat luckier, though - money can buy them the freedom of choice, material wealth, power, existential security...and once they have all that, they can start thinking about what else they might need.

Are Hungarians money-conscious?

2008-10-20T19:55:00.004+02:00

I really do not like general statements and to say 'yes' to this question would be an example of a widely-known generalisation concerning this nation. I prefer to rely on my own judgements based on experience rather than falling into the trap of following preconceptions when forming an opinion.

getting started

2008-10-19T21:42:00.000+02:00

..will start posting tomorrow.