NP - Houellebecq on Paris attacks

[Mark Sacha]

Very much on the fence about reading this one. The Huysmans stuff sounds
more compelling to me than the French caving in angle... maybe I should
just pick up some Zola instead.

Looking forward to what you have to say.

On Fri, Nov 20, 2015 at 10:43 AM, rich <richard.romeo at gmail.com> wrote:

> 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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