by Michel Houellebecq
The testimonies of the great writers, from Macron to Le Pen. And then the abstentions, the class vote, the three ages, the predictions for the next game: no reconciliation
In the polls, I’ve always felt a certain affinity for absolute agnostics, those who, after examining and carefully considering all the options proposed, always tick the last box: it won’t be said.
For this last election, a French polling institute, I don’t remember which one, has innovated by answering the question Will I vote next Sunday? after the classic Y and No, a third answer is proposed, worded as follows: I take it seriously.
abstention
I take it seriously Here’s something sobering. As if the normal, prudent and predictable behavior from now on was the abstention, but at the end of a difficult personal reflection the citizen is allowed to invoke a non-renewal clause.
Regarding these elections, I have to congratulate myself a little by pointing out that in my latest novel (Annihilate, La Nave di Theseo, 2022) everything is going as planned so far. It was simple, true: let’s say it was a little prophecy.
He will compensate for this moment of immodesty by weaving a crown of praise for the mirror. This magnificent cover was published on the occasion of my last stay in Germany on the occasion of the Frankfurt Book Fair, which was the occasion for my last real interview, with questions and answers etc. (after all, also the one in Spiegel). The beauty of this I am not arrogant stems from the fact that the photo says exactly the opposite, but also from the fact that an absolute counter-truth, uttered with sufficient authority, can produce, beyond initial astonishment, something of a revelation.
Rich and poor
We had another example recently in France, when Marion Marchal Le Pen said (with pleasure) in an interview that people no longer vote according to their interests, but according to their beliefs. In France, few similarly false sentences have been uttered by a public figure in recent years. The vote was always more or less a class vote; but on such a scale it had never been. On a sociological level, the lesson from the elections is absolutely clear and can be summed up in one sentence: the rich vote for Macron, the poor for Le Pen, the middle for Mlenchon. a reading frame, simple, brutal, and it works perfectly.
The Serious Age of Life
In terms of ages, you just have to be a little thinner. My friend Jean-Pierre Dionnet once summarized adult life for me in three phases. In the first (according to the youth discount card of the railways and other organizations) you can enjoy life, have fun etc. It lasts up to 26 years. In the last phase (senior card) from the age of 60, i.e. a little below the retirement age at the time of writing, it’s basically the same: enjoying life, having fun (well, actually less; it’s something to fake). Between these two phases lies the serious age. You work or you try; You make the world work, or you try. Some try to be successful, others start a family, sometimes both. In short, not every day is fun.
class class
Young people choose Macron or Mlenchon, old people choose Macron; those who work choose Le Pen. true or almost; but the most important, the most decisive thing remains the class vote. By insisting on the notion of class, I risk being accused of over-submission to Marxist concepts; not entirely wrong, but I’ll introduce a nuance. There is a phenomenon of which Marx understood almost nothing, a negligible phenomenon from a sociological point of view, but sometimes fundamental in individuals (and the presidential election consists first of all in electing an individual), that of class treason; and we had two spectacular examples over the course of the last election.
Marine and the cashier
Raised in wealth, after a youth as a nightclubber (not quite the jet set, but we’re not far off), Marine Le Pen was caught off guard by the revelation under the arms of Hnin-Beaumont. a phenomenon that has happened several times in history: St. Francis of Assisi, St. Vincent de Paul, etc. Without wanting to go too far, Marine Le Pen found that she enjoyed it more with a Lidl cashier chatting than spending the afternoon at her father’s property. Marine Le Pen has betrayed her social class.
Two extreme rights
Eric Zemmour went the opposite way. Born into one of those Jewish families who were forced to survive among Muslims (they are fewer and fewer), he got drunk on associating with the rich, important, and famous; More recently, he has found joy in inspiring enthusiasm in crowds of young people. It was indeed unexpected and wonderful, and may be excused, but Zemmour was nevertheless the origin of a phenomenon that will not make the situation in our unfortunate country any easier. For some time in France we had two unforgiving leftists (pro and anti-Awakened, to put it simply); The right tried to play the role of the couple who are staying together because of their children but have no children. Eric Zemmour may have created the conditions for the birth of two irreconcilable far-rights; which would be a real novelty. But the public must not be fooled: both sides say a lot of nonsense; but the real opposition will, as always, be pure and simple class struggle. Marion Marchal Le Pen, for example, never betrayed her social class.
No reconciliation
We have just presented a very mediocre spectacle to the international public, which has the goodness to follow our disputes. quite normal: if you appropriate the result in advance, it becomes difficult to get interested in the game. I don’t know if my novel’s predictions will come true; It’s getting harder and harder to demonize the National Assembly again, there may (or may not) be limits to people’s stupidity. I can only promise the dear German public one thing: we will do better in 2027. And I can add (less cheerfully) that reconciliation is not on the agenda here.
April 29, 2022 (Change April 29, 2022 | 23:08)
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