Helleniscope's Nick Skatamatakais

​In the vast digital expanse, a speck of a website exists, Helleniscope. In the underbelly of the sensationalist tabloid domain, Helleniscope’s Nick Skatamatakis appears as a fervent champion of luridness, wielding a tabloid-like website as his weapon of choice. His primary focus stays fixed on politicians whose ideologies diverge from his own, a matter of little concern to me as politics is not my interest. Conversely, his relentless pursuit of Orthodox leaders dominates a significant portion of his online drivel, capturing my attention.

While his attacks on the Orthodox Church and its leadership concern me, his consistent reliance on ad hominem attacks and character assassination sets him apart in online discourse. Indeed, for Skatamatakis, the sanctity of facts and the exercise of reasoned, logical arguments hold little value within his peculiar brand of journalism and his audience.

​In Skatamatakis' world, the nuances of constructive criticism and informed debate give way to a relentless barrage of personal attacks. He employs ad hominem tactics with the precision of a clown, bypassing substantive issues and diving straight into character assassination. Instead of grounding his arguments in well-researched facts and sound logic, he relies on emotional manipulation and exaggeration, a strategy all too familiar in tabloid journalism.

​Skatamatakis inhabits a virtual realm dominated by an unsettling mélange of conspiracy theories, divisive agendas, and anti-social behaviors. Within this realm, he is not alone; he forms alliances with trifling figures like the lonely gladiator Jorge Michalopoulos, Angelos Angelatos, and Jay Dyer, all of whom have made a name for themselves as pundits notorious for their relentless attacks and proclivity for blocking those who dare to oppose their views.

​He sardonically embodies the wisdom of ancient Greek philosophers. The timeless teachings of these philosophical giants juxtapose eerily with Skatamatakis' online persona and actions, forming an unintentional tableau of their enduring insights. Let us examine how:

​Socratic Irony: Skatamatakis, in his online endeavors, displays a kind of Socratic irony. Socrates famously claimed to know nothing, but Skatamatakis proved he knows nothing. He peddles sensationalism and divisive content, lacking substantive knowledge or genuine wisdom. 

​Aristotelian Virtue Ethics: Aristotle's virtue ethics emphasize cultivating moral character. Skatamatakis, through his divisive agenda and association with like-minded individuals, underscores this by displaying no virtuous behavior in the digital age. Instead of promoting unity and understanding, his actions are a stark example of the consequences of moral deficiency.

​Platonic Pursuit of Truth: Plato's allegory of the cave underscores the importance of seeking truth beyond mere shadows on the wall. Skatamatakis, with his penchant for divisive content, illustrates the dangers of dwelling in a digital cave where misinformation and bias obscure the pursuit of genuine knowledge and enlightenment.

Aristophanic Satire: In the spirit of Aristophanes, whose satirical comedies exposed the follies of his contemporaries, Skatamatakis becomes a contemporary figure ripe for satire. His online antics and divisive agenda may superficially resemble a modern-day farce as if echoing the satirical traditions of ancient Greek theater. However, he does not infuse humor and merely exposes his base nature.

​In conclusion, the journalistic realm inhabited by Nick Skatamatakis, with its sensationalism, divisiveness, and conspiracy theories, serves as an unwitting testament to the enduring relevance of ancient Greek philosophy, albeit in a masterclass on how to misapply every lesson it offers. 

​While originating in a different era, these philosophers' teachings offer timeless guidance on the importance of wisdom, virtue, self-control, and the pursuit of truth in the ever-evolving digital communication landscape. Nick's unrelenting bias and simmering anger towards the Ecumenical Patriarchate surface at every opportunity. He skillfully cloaks himself in the protection of the First Amendment, using it as a shield to advance his agenda while suppressing the turbulent emotions that churn within his unsettled psyche. Or he is the monkey on the dolphin’s back visiting his friend Piraeus.

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​The Monkey sat up, grave and dignified, on the Dolphin’s back.

“You are a citizen of illustrious Athens, are you not?” asked the Dolphin politely.

“Yes,” answered the Monkey, proudly. “My family is one of the noblest in the city.”

“Indeed,” said the Dolphin.

“Then of course you often visit Piraeus.”

“Yes, yes,” replied the Monkey.
​“Indeed, I do. I am with him constantly. Piraeus is my very best friend.”

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