When spoilt kids are given everything they need but then refuse to clean their rooms, the normal action is to remove their privileges, with tantrums being the predictable and comical outcome. But the old 'be cruel to be kind' saying holds a lot of truth, and the long term outcome is for the benefit of all. The lessons learnt from such a punishment is that warnings hold merit and everyone knows what they need to do to get what they deserve, and not what they believe what they are entitled to.
What we are seeing in Greece is exactly the same, just on a larger and more sinister scale. Do they believe that they are a better class of citizens because they can work less hours and retire at a younger age than the Germans? Going by their reactions the obvious answer is yes! But the fault does not lie with the workers, the root cause of their problems lies with their corrupt government and bankers.
And just like spoilt kids, where the cause lies directly with the parents, Greeks are the product of their own distorted laws and regulations. To label Greeks as lazy is at this stage unfair. The bottom line is that all humans, be it Greeks, Asians, Germans, etc, will work harder when food and survival becomes hard. Make access to food and services easy and the will and need to work drops off accordingly.
Now in Greece everything will instantly become unaffordable, simply because easy money has vanished over night. The prices haven't changed, but the value of money has risen simply because there's less being thrashed around.
But as mentioned a few days ago, the long term results will be a gradual decline in prices of everything, as sellers of retails goods, services and assets have to reassess the markets and their own debt levels.
Once the Greeks realise that things will be cheaper for them, then the panic will subside and they'll readily swallow a drop in standards and welfare services. The banks, they can go and die for all I care.
