---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Very often, people will come out and say…"
description: "\"Very often, people will come out and say, 'Greeks aren't doing things, Greeks aren't making changes, there's no reform,' That is hogwash. We have made ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/george-papandreou-9739_doing-things_very-often-people-will-come-out-and-say_670061.jpg"
---

#  Very often, people will come out and say, 'Greeks aren't…

![“Very often, people will come out and say, 'Greeks aren't doing things, Greeks aren't making changes, there's no reform,' That is hogwash. We have made a huge effort. The Greek people have made a huge effort.” quote by George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/george-papandreou-9739_doing-things_very-often-people-will-come-out-and-say_670061.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/george-papandreou-9739_doing-things_very-often-people-will-come-out-and-say_670061.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/george-papandreou-9739_doing-things_very-often-people-will-come-out-and-say_670061.jpg)

> “Very often, people will come out and say, 'Greeks aren't doing things, Greeks aren't making changes, there's no reform,' That is hogwash. We have made a huge effort. The Greek people have made a huge effort.”

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker dismisses criticism of Greece's lack of reform, emphasizing the country's significant efforts and progress.

**In simple terms:** Greeks have worked hard despite claims of stagnation.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and communicate genuine progress.

Themes

politics national identity reform

Mood

defensive proud

Type

political defensive

When to use this quote

- government reports
- international negotiations
- media analysis
- public opinion surveys

Key Concepts

public perception policy implementation national morale

Questions to Reflect On

- What evidence shows real reform?
- How can citizens better convey their achievements?

A Different Perspective

Critics may still view reforms as insufficient or superficial.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Doing things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-things/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Effort Greek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort-greek-5321932/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Greek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greek/) [Greek People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greek-people-314056/) [Greeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greeks/) [Greeks Aren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greeks-aren-5321931/) [Hogwash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hogwash/) [Huge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/huge/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Making change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-change/) [Making changes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-changes/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reform/) [Say Greeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-greeks-1969707/)

## Related quotes

> [How can a parliamentarian or a leader in a country say, on the one hand, that we're going to support Greece but at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/how-can-a-parliamentarian-or-a-leader-in-a-country-say-on-the-one/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

> [Many people have been pontificating, and patronizing, and moralizing, and scapegoating, saying you Greeks, you are the problem. I would say we Greeks have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/many-people-have-been-pontificating-and-patronizing-and-moralizing/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

> [I will always be upfront with the Greek people, so we can solve the country's problems together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/i-will-always-be-upfront-with-the-greek-people-so-we-can-solve-the/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

> [I have a deep sense of responsibility to my country and Greek people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/i-have-a-deep-sense-of-responsibility-to-my-country-and-greek-people/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

> [The Greek people do not want to exit the euro, and I believe the Greek people already have shown that they have made major…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/the-greek-people-do-not-want-to-exit-the-euro-and-i-believe-the-greek-2/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

> [Hence we will not say that Greeks fight like heroes, but heroes fight like Greeks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/hence-we-will-not-say-that-greeks-fight-like-heroes-but-heroes-fight/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [First of all, Greece won't go down. We're talking about a country that is capable of making change. Europe will not allow the destabilization…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/first-of-all-greece-won-t-go-down-we-re-talking-about-a-country-that/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

> [The Greek people today voted for Greece to remain on its European path and in the eurozone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonis-samaras/the-greek-people-today-voted-for-greece-to-remain-on-its-european/)

[Antonis Samaras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonis-samaras/)

> [The Greek people have gone through some very difficult times and there's still a hard road ahead, but despite those hardships, Greece has continued…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-greek-people-have-gone-through-some-very-difficult-times-and/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [The Greek people not only relate to the ancient traditions, they have fought, they have shed blood, until recently, to defend the values of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-tsipras/the-greek-people-not-only-relate-to-the-ancient-traditions-they-have/)

[Alexis Tsipras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-tsipras/)

> [The verdict of the Greek people renders the troika a thing of the past for our common European framework.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-tsipras/the-verdict-of-the-greek-people-renders-the-troika-a-thing-of-the/)

[Alexis Tsipras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-tsipras/)

> [My music had two protagonists, me and the Greek people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikis-theodorakis/my-music-had-two-protagonists-me-and-the-greek-people/)

[Mikis Theodorakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikis-theodorakis/)

> [I think the Greek people, although it is difficult and challenging and the politics of it I know are not good, should appreciate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-the-greek-people-although-it-is-difficult-and-challenging-and/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [The Greek people are entrepreneurial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-greek-people-are-entrepreneurial/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [The Greek people deserve an economy that is not burdened forever by a heavy bureaucracy and a bloated public sector.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dallara/the-greek-people-deserve-an-economy-that-is-not-burdened-forever-by-a/)

[Charles Dallara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dallara/)

## More by George Papandreou

> [I will always be upfront with the Greek people, so we can solve the country's problems together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/i-will-always-be-upfront-with-the-greek-people-so-we-can-solve-the/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

> [I am proud of being a Greek of the diaspora.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/i-am-proud-of-being-a-greek-of-the-diaspora/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

> [Unfortunately, corruption is widespread in government agencies and public enterprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/unfortunately-corruption-is-widespread-in-government-agencies-and/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

> [I never thought about becoming a politician. But during the military dictatorship, my grandfather was put in prison six times and my father twice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/i-never-thought-about-becoming-a-politician-but-during-the-military/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

> [I would say we are a friend in need and I am sure that the Greek people would very much welcome the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/i-would-say-we-are-a-friend-in-need-and-i-am-sure-that-the-greek/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

> [The unemployed in Greece can get a voucher and choose a training program somewhere in Europe to be retrained during this crisis and when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/the-unemployed-in-greece-can-get-a-voucher-and-choose-a-training/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

> [If you put all the European countries together, we are the biggest economy in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/if-you-put-all-the-european-countries-together-we-are-the-biggest/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

> [As long as I feel I am doing what I think is right and just for my country, for the Greek people, that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/as-long-as-i-feel-i-am-doing-what-i-think-is-right-and-just-for-my/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

> [Despite the deep reforms we are making, traders and speculators have forced interest rates on Greek bonds to record highs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/despite-the-deep-reforms-we-are-making-traders-and-speculators-have/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

> [There is this concept of politics as a dirty game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/there-is-this-concept-of-politics-as-a-dirty-game/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

> [Markets themselves are looking for stability, and I think we have underestimated the capacity of Europe... to actually create a more stable framework for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/markets-themselves-are-looking-for-stability-and-i-think-we-have/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

> [This idea that you're a successful tough guy if you evade taxes and deceive the state has got to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/this-idea-that-you-re-a-successful-tough-guy-if-you-evade-taxes-and/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

> [We have a rise of extremism because we need to give a sense that we are targeting some of the deeper problems in Greece,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/we-have-a-rise-of-extremism-because-we-need-to-give-a-sense-that-we/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

> [I have been supporting the European Union, but we are still a work in progress. We have to become more of a United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/i-have-been-supporting-the-european-union-but-we-are-still-a-work-in/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

> [My hope is that we will turn Greece into maybe the most transparent country in the world with everything on the web.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/my-hope-is-that-we-will-turn-greece-into-maybe-the-most-transparent/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

[Explore all 70 George Papandreou quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

## More Doing things quotes

> [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/)

[David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/)

> [Doing the right things is more important than doing things right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ko-wen-je/doing-the-right-things-is-more-important-than-doing-things-right/)

[Ko Wen-je](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ko-wen-je/)

> [“Standards are just the most accepted ways of doing things. They're usually unquestioned, not challenged, not the most efficient, and not the best way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-otton/standards-are-just-the-most-accepted-ways-of-doing-things-they-re/)

[Rick Otton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-otton/)

> [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Either you let your life slip away by not doing the things you want to do, or you get up & do them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/either-you-let-your-life-slip-away-by-not-doing-the-things-you-want/)

[Roger von Oech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-von-oech/)

> [Life is all about doing things you like and being surrounded by people you like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-cassandra/life-is-all-about-doing-things-you-like-and-being-surrounded-by/)

[Regina Cassandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-cassandra/)

> [There are those that say, if you do the uncomfortable thing long enough, it will become comfortable. But we are really not encouragers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/there-are-those-that-say-if-you-do-the-uncomfortable-thing-long/)

[Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/)

> [I'm closer to being happy. I'm doing things that make me happy. In football I loved to practice and I loved to play, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-williams/i-m-closer-to-being-happy-i-m-doing-things-that-make-me-happy-in/)

[Ricky Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-williams/)

> [“If you aren't in love, Willow Vaughn, then my name isn't Miriam Brigham." Willow started out of her daydreaming and glanced up from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mcpherren/if-you-aren-t-in-love-willow-vaughn-then-my-name-isn-t-miriam-brigham/)

[Charlotte McPherren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mcpherren/)

> [The story being told in 'Star Wars' is a classic one. Every few hundred years, the story is retold because we have a tendency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/the-story-being-told-in-star-wars-is-a-classic-one-every-few-hundred/)

[George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/)

> [When you study history and look at every civilization that has grown up and died off, they all leave one remnant: a major sports…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-study-history-and-look-at-every-civilization-that-has-grown/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Well I think that what we're seeing now is that the people feel like they, the people in Congress don't have their consent to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/well-i-think-that-what-we-re-seeing-now-is-that-the-people-feel-like/)

[Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/)

> [It's sad that women characters have lost so much ground in popular movies. Didn't 'Thelma and Louise' prove that women want to see women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-quivers/it-s-sad-that-women-characters-have-lost-so-much-ground-in-popular/)

[Robin Quivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-quivers/)

> [I spent a lot of my life schlepping around New York with people not doing things for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-gibson/i-spent-a-lot-of-my-life-schlepping-around-new-york-with-people-not/)

[Debbie Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-gibson/)

> [This is your life do wat you love, and do it often. if you don't like something, change it. if you don't like your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amiea/this-is-your-life-do-wat-you-love-and-do-it-often-if-you-don-t-like/)

[Amiea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amiea/)

[Browse all 1,822 Doing things quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-things/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Very often, people will come out and say, 'Greeks aren't doing things, Greeks aren't making changes, there's no reform,' That is hogwash. We have made a huge effort. The Greek people have made a huge effort.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "George Papandreou"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/very-often-people-will-come-out-and-say-greeks-aren-t-doing-things/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Doing things"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/very-often-people-will-come-out-and-say-greeks-aren-t-doing-things/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/george-papandreou-9739_doing-things_very-often-people-will-come-out-and-say_670061.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/george-papandreou-9739_doing-things_very-often-people-will-come-out-and-say_670061.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/george-papandreou-9739_doing-things_very-often-people-will-come-out-and-say_670061.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Very often, people will come out and say, 'Greeks aren't doing things, Greeks aren't making changes, there's…” — George Papandreou",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "George Papandreou",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Very often, people will come out...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/very-often-people-will-come-out-and-say-greeks-aren-t-doing-things/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/very-often-people-will-come-out-and-say-greeks-aren-t-doing-things/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```