Angry Voters, Angry Bankers, and Cultural Commissions

And how did France respond to this lecturing? The response was not as delicate as it perhaps should have been. With Jean-Claude Tritchet scheduled to take control of the ECB next year, France now should make every effort of public impression to comply with the Pact criteria. But no. In a reply that would have flattered even Charles DeGaulle, the French finance minister effectively told his colleagues that France sets its own policies. So much for European unity.

'Is It E-mail or Curiour Electronique?'

This is not pile-on-France season, but recently France has done so many ridiculous things that governing the country seems the perfect new enterprise for the latest version of the Theatre of the Absurd. For example, the French Commission on Linguistics recently issued a decree that bans use of the word "e-mail" from correspondences by French public officials. The word "e-mail" will also be purged from all official French Internet sites if the Commission has its way. The Commission prefers the term "curiour electronique" to replace e-mail. Replacing an easy two syllable word with a seven syllable phrase derived from two words whose use in this context is not natural in French is no way to encourage support for the concept of France as an English-free zone. But it seems that is the Commission's goal. Such decrees only make France and its bureaucrats seem backwards and ridiculous. It is no less than astounding that the country once regarded as a cultural trend-setter should now conjure "Frenchified" phrases to replace an internationally accepted English word. When use of the word "e-mail" persists, the Commission no doubt will offer an equally absurd explanation.

As these examples suggest, two very different processes are at work: Globalism meets nationalism. How these notions will accomodate each other will surely lead to plenty more strange election results, meetings of angry bankers, and attempts by various national commissions intended to protect culture taking decisions that make a mockery of that culture. As stated at the outset, logic has its limits, and some stereotypes cannot be negated because they constantly reassert themselves. Stay tuned for more culture clashes we cannot explain.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic