November 19, 2004

The French focus on preserving what they are

Hugh sez:

"I am not dissing The French. I just think they're more concerned with preserving what they've got, rather than finding new things to get excited about"

That's exactly what I feel, there must be a French miracle though, as we actually do pretty well on preserving our way of living.

And long may you continue Loic. There are so many aspects of life that the French still do better than anyone else and although I see this eroded a little each time I come back you are still ahead (or behind in a good way) the rest of us.

Euan, November 19, 2004 at 21:47

Well, I think this is a very broad generalization. Makes it look like things don't change in France or that French people do not innovate. I know that there are a lot of terrific engineers in France. You cannot believe some of the stuff that comes out of French engineering. What about scientific research? Again, French scientists are top notch (although they have not been happy lately) and their labs and research institutions - chemistry, physics, mathematics, microbiology, medicine - consistently come out with discoveries and inventions that have a huge impact on everyone. Compare them to some of their European neighbors who can barely turn out competent students and you realize they have a lot going for them.

Esme Vos, November 19, 2004 at 22:26

Yeah, the French way of life is pretty specatcular, d'accord, Loic.

I guess what's interesting to me, having now had a large doese of France, is that this specatacular way of life is not effortless. The French make it looks easy, but that doesn't mean that is so.

Like I said, Civilisation is expensive.


hugh macleod, November 20, 2004 at 01:01

PS: Esme, I take your point, however:

When those fat aeroplane loads of American and Japanese tourists land at Charles De Gualle, they're doing so to check out the cafes and the Eiffel Tower etc. They're not blowing a month's salary in order to gawk at the engineers.

hugh macleod, November 20, 2004 at 01:30

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