I love France and truly hope it can recover. Of course, other European countries face a similiar set of problems with their own elites, not to mention the "EU elites" in Brussels.
I don’t know if it’s the translation, or the original writing, but this piece uses many fancy words to say very, very little. It’s classic bad writing that masquerades as good by throwing around impressive words. All that the article actually says could have easily fit into two average paragraphs. I hope we don’t see more of this kind of drivel.
Restore the Monarchy. Bourbon, Orleans, Bonaparte-- as long as it is French it is acceptable and better than the pseudo-King presidents and their popularity contests.
Le probleme, c est que 2027 est bien loin. Et Marine Le Pen ne va pas forcement gagner, et qu elle est loin d etre ideale. En attendant on est colles avec ce Macron, et de plus en plus de Juifs quittent la France, un pays ou peut les assassiner sans repercussions.
Christophe, your description of a few callously making choices which cause others to suffer articulates the malaise so well! But I notice that the description of your book blames the Americanization of France for this malaise. I would argue that when America has successfully integrated the best of other cultures, governing, from local to national, was true to the purpose of democracy. The purpose of democracy was to replace the unfairness of a delusional few, who believed they were divinely chosen, callously deciding the fate of many (something America now and France suffered from when the Philosophes wrote and inspired the founders of America), with justice for all. Justice for all happens when everyone benefits. And everyone is most likely to benefit when each has faith that when you work hard, you’ll reap a meaningful portion of the rewards and those who violate your rights are prosecuted. That is the fraternite’ American. Would that give your people hope?
Bon Matin from the northeast (where it is quite cold). Neat to learn about your voyage into French and Le Monde—although isn’t that a bit lefty for you, it sure is for “moi”. These days mainly consumed with the war against Hamas and the bizarre wave of support for terrorists at home. Good to keep chatting Ann P
Just want to be sure I understand: a large mass of disgruntled Frenchmen with no ideological foundation are milling about waiting for a charismatic leader to emerge. The author thinks this will somehow lead to a French revival; did I get that right? Germany faced a similar situation in the 1920s and they were able to pull themselves together, rebuild their economy and find unity through strength. If the Germans can do it, surely the French can do a (less efficient) French version.
You live in a country that, like most of that worthless continent you live on, decided that after other people defeated Nazism for you, and then held off the Soviet Union... you wouldn't have to work for anything ever again.
You live in a nation of ingrates on a continent largely populated by ingrates.
And the less to be said about the Germans, the better...
I am sorry, but I don't see the native Gauls having the stomach to fight a civil war against 10 million Muslims, the latter of whom will stop at nothing to win.
And both groups want the Jews gone, so they agree on that.
All of this was predictable. The left got away with it by using abhorrent labels, cancellation, intimidation and ridicule. Part mobster, part bully, part gossipers. We keep calling them out and yet they keep the center on its back foot with new narratives that we are forced to defend against. Enough of this crap. There is nothing worse than the activist - criticize everything, produce nothing, create victims, blame others.
This tract reads as a post graduate student thesis summary on the ills ailing France. If one can distill through the platitudes, the writer simply wants to go back in time. Well hell, don't we all?
'So this new “social movement” is not a remake of Les Misérables. It isn’t simply a “peasant’s revolt” or a “workers’ uprising.” It isn’t a group agitating for an improved welfare state, either. And it isn’t about trying to bring about a “brave new world.” In fact, it’s about continuing the old one: the world where the majority of people were still at the “center” of the economy, of the political class’s considerations and of cultural life too.'
Sounds right out of the 1950's - when France still owned Algeria and the brown hordes had yet to arrive, Chinese imports were non existant, manufacturing was still at home and French cars were cool, the French language wasn't bastardized by English idioms, Paris was filled with American expats writing failed novels and France still had some well deserved hegemony over Western Europe.
I love France and truly hope it can recover. Of course, other European countries face a similiar set of problems with their own elites, not to mention the "EU elites" in Brussels.
Interesting description of France. However, it appears to be a view that is easily applied to all western countries, including the US..
I don’t know if it’s the translation, or the original writing, but this piece uses many fancy words to say very, very little. It’s classic bad writing that masquerades as good by throwing around impressive words. All that the article actually says could have easily fit into two average paragraphs. I hope we don’t see more of this kind of drivel.
If history is any indication, it will be violent and it will be a bloodbath.
Restore the Monarchy. Bourbon, Orleans, Bonaparte-- as long as it is French it is acceptable and better than the pseudo-King presidents and their popularity contests.
Le probleme, c est que 2027 est bien loin. Et Marine Le Pen ne va pas forcement gagner, et qu elle est loin d etre ideale. En attendant on est colles avec ce Macron, et de plus en plus de Juifs quittent la France, un pays ou peut les assassiner sans repercussions.
Christophe, your description of a few callously making choices which cause others to suffer articulates the malaise so well! But I notice that the description of your book blames the Americanization of France for this malaise. I would argue that when America has successfully integrated the best of other cultures, governing, from local to national, was true to the purpose of democracy. The purpose of democracy was to replace the unfairness of a delusional few, who believed they were divinely chosen, callously deciding the fate of many (something America now and France suffered from when the Philosophes wrote and inspired the founders of America), with justice for all. Justice for all happens when everyone benefits. And everyone is most likely to benefit when each has faith that when you work hard, you’ll reap a meaningful portion of the rewards and those who violate your rights are prosecuted. That is the fraternite’ American. Would that give your people hope?
A sad essay that could equally be written about the UK, and in a few years will be true for Canada too.
Bon Matin from the northeast (where it is quite cold). Neat to learn about your voyage into French and Le Monde—although isn’t that a bit lefty for you, it sure is for “moi”. These days mainly consumed with the war against Hamas and the bizarre wave of support for terrorists at home. Good to keep chatting Ann P
Just want to be sure I understand: a large mass of disgruntled Frenchmen with no ideological foundation are milling about waiting for a charismatic leader to emerge. The author thinks this will somehow lead to a French revival; did I get that right? Germany faced a similar situation in the 1920s and they were able to pull themselves together, rebuild their economy and find unity through strength. If the Germans can do it, surely the French can do a (less efficient) French version.
You live in a country that, like most of that worthless continent you live on, decided that after other people defeated Nazism for you, and then held off the Soviet Union... you wouldn't have to work for anything ever again.
You live in a nation of ingrates on a continent largely populated by ingrates.
And the less to be said about the Germans, the better...
I am sorry, but I don't see the native Gauls having the stomach to fight a civil war against 10 million Muslims, the latter of whom will stop at nothing to win.
And both groups want the Jews gone, so they agree on that.
All of this was predictable. The left got away with it by using abhorrent labels, cancellation, intimidation and ridicule. Part mobster, part bully, part gossipers. We keep calling them out and yet they keep the center on its back foot with new narratives that we are forced to defend against. Enough of this crap. There is nothing worse than the activist - criticize everything, produce nothing, create victims, blame others.
Excellent article with an accurate description of the west.
Liberty! Unite!
This tract reads as a post graduate student thesis summary on the ills ailing France. If one can distill through the platitudes, the writer simply wants to go back in time. Well hell, don't we all?
'So this new “social movement” is not a remake of Les Misérables. It isn’t simply a “peasant’s revolt” or a “workers’ uprising.” It isn’t a group agitating for an improved welfare state, either. And it isn’t about trying to bring about a “brave new world.” In fact, it’s about continuing the old one: the world where the majority of people were still at the “center” of the economy, of the political class’s considerations and of cultural life too.'
Sounds right out of the 1950's - when France still owned Algeria and the brown hordes had yet to arrive, Chinese imports were non existant, manufacturing was still at home and French cars were cool, the French language wasn't bastardized by English idioms, Paris was filled with American expats writing failed novels and France still had some well deserved hegemony over Western Europe.
Well good luck getting back to that.
I’m not understanding what is actually being proposed in this piece. Concretely.