The ancient Roman statesmen really knew their stuff: in order to keep in power, they provided the plebs with ‘panem et circenses’, bread and games – for free. Nothing has changed when we look at present-day Britain. ‘Bread’ is free for a large number of those living on bennies, and then there are the daily circus performances, lovingly detailed in our MSM.

How our mandarins and some politicians must rejoice for being left off the hook. Last week it was this ITV ‘presenter’ saga and this week is already off to a good start because ‘The Spare’ has had his first day in court, making a clown of himself: “Newspaper headlines: ‘Harry’s reality check’ and ‘new low’ for Russia” (link).

I applaud our western ‘journalists’ who know, for certain, how and by whom that dam was destroyed, based simply on unverified stuff coming out of that unhappy region. I only wish they’d be as diligent when looking into the daily trials and tribulations we peasants here in the UK are undergoing. 

Being thoroughly dissatisfied with the way our and indeed European MSM are able to provide us with ‘news’ in unisono  from yon war, today I’ll look instead at something which happened in France. This was reported in the German conservative paper ‘Die Welt’, under the headline “Why Macron is now talking about the collapse of civilization” (paywalled link, in German).

That is a bit apocalyptic – or is it? According to the report, M Macron had invited four eminent sociologists to ‘lunch and talk’ about the situation in France. Here’s the summary:

“In search of ways out of the crisis, France’s President Macron invited four well-known sociologists to lunch. It should remain strictly confidential. Then it came out: The scientists criticized Macron very sharply. On a dramatic point, however, everyone agreed.” (paywalled link, in German)

I apologise for the bad translation of the above and the following quotes – it seems AI isn’t all that good yet! Apparently, M Macron has form, having invited eminent professors of politology for lunch, to tell him about the state of affairs and what to do. They seem to have advised him to raise taxes, to the collective outcry of the nation.  Aren’t we lucky that our government is making reassuring noises of lowering our exorbitant taxes – sometime before 2030 … and there will be jam tomorrow …

And thus M Macron asked four eminent French sociologists for their opinion on the state of French society, over a beautiful lunch ‘with asparagus and turbot’:

“The staff of the Elysée had planned a “déjeuner confidentiel” without any publicity, no photo of it should appear in “Paris Match”, no article about it in “Le Monde”, the participants had to hand over their smartphones before dinner. Four days after lunch, a report about the “confidential lunch” appeared on a whole page in “Le Monde”, which reads almost like a protocol with the abundance of literal quotes. Even more sharply than the economists, the sociologists criticised the government: “They have no idea what is happening in society,” was the conclusion of one participant.” (paywalled link, in German)

The French government is as removed from the real lives of their citizens as our Westminster cabal: how fascinating! In the following we read that M Macron blames the protests in France on his citizens on the “declining willingness of the French to make an effort, which shows a lack of civic responsibility.” 

However, the sociologists point out that this process is due to his aim of creating an ‘ecological society’. We over here call this  ‘Net Zero’. They suggest that Macron simply needs a ‘good narrative’ about climate change to get the compliance of the French. The next point worrying Macron is:

“[..] the loss of purchasing power of the middle classes, who are too rich to benefit from aid measures, and too poor to be able to lead a good life. Jérôme Fourquet agreed with him: Purchasing power has become the decisive status marker, the loss of purchasing power shows the increasing feeling of declassification in the consumer society.” (paywalled link, in German)

‘Lack of purchasing power’ – how on earth did that happen? Don’t answer – that’s a rhetorical question! How increasing taxation or a new ‘narrative’ will help; well, one needs to be a scientist living in ivory towers to explain that to us thick peasants.

Finally, Macron talks about the increasing aggression in French society, mentioning various local incidents. One of the professors agrees, coining a new expression:

“There are more and more violent conflicts, the refusal to follow orders from law enforcement forces such as police, paramedics and fire brigade is the order of the day. A “process of decivilization” has begun, Fourquet analyses, […]” (paywalled link, in German)

Macron utilises this expression, instructing his government to pursue all aggressive acts “in the face of this decivilization process” relentlessly”. Well, this pursuit must be easier than creating a ‘narrative’ aimed at getting people to accept their ‘loss of purchasing power’, never mind alleviating said loss.

I find it fascinating that M Macron, his eminent sociologists, pundits in Germany and of course our own British opinion makers and politicians are so utterly incapable of seeing the real problem: ‘Net Zero’, which even a shiny new ‘narrative’ won’t make more acceptable.

I find it equally fascinating that over there, in France and e.g. in Germany, the governing politicians are blaming their people for becoming ‘decivilised’. I don’t know how decivilised we Brits are because, what a surprise, our local ‘news’ never make it into the Westminster press: if it doesn’t happen in London, it’s not happening.

I find it even more fascinating to observe how our eminent politicians and mandarins are as blind to the cause of this nation’s malaise – Net Zero – as the equally eminent politicians across the Channel and that they are equally bereft of a solution. I can help: just scrap Net Zero!

That’s all I have for today. It must be the French culture where talking points are debated over lunch in the Elysee Palace. Here, we have ‘Teh Spare’ to talk about, but no lunch in No 10 … Have a good day.



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