The myth of progress, Victoria

Foreign Policy on a splendid Greek sex scandal:

Now, it’s Greece’s turn, and it may be the most fascinating one yet. Here’s the story: A young woman slept with the general secretary of the culture ministry in the hopes of obtaining a permanent job (judging by his photo, left, that had to be the only reason). When he didn’t follow through, she recorded her encounters with him on a DVD, allegedly to blackmail him, and ended up taking it to the press. Most journalists wouldn’t work with her, but a copy of the DVD somehow found its way to the prime minister’s office. Once the official being blackmailed got wind of this, he resigned and jumped from his balcony in a suicide attempt. He’s now in the hospital recovering, but the scandal has penetrated Greek society deeper than anyone anticipated. The Greek government tried to spin this as “a sex scandal blown out of proportion,” but the public just isn’t buying it. The