The economic crisis that threatens Greece and the European Union is the subject of great disagreement amongst experts and diplomats, but a Monty Python comedy sketch produced in 1974 might help explain.
Lead Stories' Trendolizer picked up on a trending story by the Washington Post's Max Ehrenfreund which suggest watch the sketch to better understand:
"Greece simply cannot repay its debts, economists argue, no matter how much the country slashes public services or raises taxes. So by insisting it keep on trying, the thinking goes, Germany seems to be intent on punishing Greece. The Germans see it differently, saying what they are doing may be painful, but necessary, to get the country on a sustainable footing for the long term. To understand the massive gap in opinion, it might help to watch a Monty Python sketch from 1974 about a soccer match between Germany and Greece."
The match features Greek philosopher Socrates in a dispute with German philosophers G.W.F. Hegel, Immanuel Kant and Karl Marxover over a last-minute goal. The referee is China's Confucius.
Watch the full sketch:
