To what extent has the pandemic changed us?

As June is approaching, and seeing the latest measures slowly retreating, all of us hope and rejoice at the ending of a great problem, a very harsh situation, and a different everyday life we have experienced lately, during the quarantine. One would say that it was a storm, a disturbance in our lives that stirred […]
“No matter what they shout, no echo comes back” is the blow of cancel culture to the freedom of expression

“Cancel culture” refers to the culture of canceling people – mainly celebrities – which, although it has always been a feature of society, is now considered a thriving phenomenon through social networks. The mob mentality unites around a common goal and works vindictively, against someone who said or acted differently from what the majority indicated […]
Activism and Social Media: A love-hate relationship

#PrayForUkraine, #BlackLivesMatter, #StopAsianHate, #MeToo… Someone, somewhere, once made a post or a story on Instagram that contained at least one of these hashtags. And right after that, this specific person put aside his cellphone and continued to live in a carefree way. If we wanted to put a label on this “phenomenon”, this would be […]
“Sloth is the key to poverty”: The paradox of toxic productivity

The term “toxic productivity”, although not a scientific term, is often used to denote the tendency of some people to be overcome by guilt or anxiety, when they feel like they are not productive. Think about this: The year is 2020, a strange virus pops up out of nowhere in an unknown city in China, […]
Diplomacy, ping pong and gift exchanges

How did two ping pong players manage to definitively change their countries’ diplomatic relations by exchanging gifts? War chaos, ideological rivalries, and a universal suspicion painted the canvas of the 1970s. Against this warlike current marched two champions in 1971 during the World Ping Pong Championship in Nagoya, Japan, which constituted fertile ground for bridging […]
Interview with Mr Valentine

For this year’s Valentine’s Day, TEDxAUTH decided it’s time to look for its own Valentine. As a modern Penelope, we won’t deny it – because, above all, we are humble – there were many prospective suitors. Our heart, however, does not belong to Odysseus from Ithaca, but to the one and only Mr VALENTINE Tselio […]
It must be so, since everyone says so…

Imagine you are taking a test, and in the most difficult question, all your friends give a as an answer, while you answer b. The question that remains is: do you change your answer or do you remain dissuaded of your opinion? In 1951, Solomon Asch undertook one of the most classic experiments in social […]
The (self) restriction of expressing feelings

In general, we humans tend to set obstacles, giving ourselves a hard time. We overanalyze situations, dive into a chaotic vortex of thoughts, dramatize events, and, finally, drown in a spoonful of water. We end up not expressing what we want and not doing what we wish, guided by unnecessary precautions and fear, limited by […]
Human bonds

Human bonds are complicated. No instruction manual guarantees their success, but neither is there an absolute system that will distinguish right from wrong before they are created. Some will be weak and break easily, while others are strong and last for years. Some bonds are created in an instant without us realizing it, while others […]
Addiction from a different perspective

Trigger Warning: Reference to addictions (Note: In view of the latest decisions concerning the therapy center for dependent individuals (KETHEA) in Greece, I found the courage to discuss a very sensitive topic that concerns many citizens.) Ever since we were little kids, the people closest to us have tried to make us understand that the […]