NP - Houellebecq on Paris attacks

[rich]

just started Submission and will probably post something about it when I'm
done.

the essay is classicly overdramatic and overreached. much to be expected.
however it is hard to argue with the last two paragraphs, except the last
two lines. im not sure what direct democracy is, France being ever governed
by mother Paris

what makes maybe an essay somehat buffoonish works better in fiction or so
I think reading 1/4 of Submission

rich

On Fri, Nov 20, 2015 at 4:05 AM, matthew cissell <mccissell at gmail.com>
wrote:

>
> http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/21/opinion/how-frances-leaders-failed-its-people.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-right-region&region=opinion-c-col-right-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-right-region&_r=
>
> Ecce Houellebecq. The Author has spoken, too bad he didn't choose silence.
>
> The title blames the leaders. In his second paragraph he attributes the
> 1986 atttacks to Hezbollah. (Let's pass over his moaning about the lack of
> a Churchill like leader, but recall what Brecht said in Galileo about the
> need for leaders.) Then Chez Michel sez the blame is widely shared, but
> then in the next line he's back to blaming leaders. So which is it Michel?
>
> Howlabook claims that the "essential mission" of the government is to
> protect the population. Guess he didn't study Poli-sci.
>
> Perhaps someone should remind Monsieur H. that the only people responsible
> for the attacks are the people who perpetrated them.
>
> Mon. H. would like to be Zola but this is not his lineage. Michel
> Houellebecq belongs to the line Joseph de Miastre, Maurice Barres, and
> Charles Maurras.
>
> But is his piece not also part of the game? An essay here or there
> following on some book release to bump up the numbers, not a rational act
> following rules but a feel for the game - "Now is the time for this!" A
> controversial piece to make sure your name stays in the news for some days.
> (Think back to how Baudrillard made the most out of events by saying
> something supposedly profound - Iraq war and 2001 attacks.) His blip is
> growing, and perhaps I should not contribute to it, but when you hear
> idiocy proclaimed as wisdom it is incumbent upon you to respond.
>
> Pauvre France. there must be more than Houellebecq and BS Henri Levy. Sure
> makes me miss Bourdieu.
>
> ciao
> mc otis
>
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