http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/blog/franceprofonde/death-of-an-old-style-entrepreneur/ Tim King on French politics Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:25:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/blog/franceprofonde/death-of-an-old-style-entrepreneur/#comment-14224 Fri, 15 Jun 2007 14:59:44 +0000 http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/blog/franceprofonde/death-of-an-old-style-entrepreneur/#comment-14224 Wow. What a great post. It drives me nuts when I hear the politicians bleat on about how the French need or want to "be protected", especially since the rhetoric does not address the (legitimate) role of the state in protecting its citizens from physical threats (terrorism, crime, etc.) but is focused on 'protecting' French citizens and enterprises from competition - a sure route to mediocrity and failure. Coupled with the latent hypocrisy and contradiction embedded in the discussion of profits (which you so eloquently smoke out), the politicians (and media) end up painting a picture of a France of incompetent, frightened, spoiled and entitled victims. Of course the truth is nothing of the sort, but even the most self-confident person will waver if told repeatedly that they are not up to the competition and that somehow the playing field is always tilted against them. Sometime it seems as if some macabre co-dependency is played out between the French political class and the viewing public. It drives me nuts because France has everything it needs to compete - talent, human capital, creativity, reputation, etc. - and has no reason to fear change. Rather France and French ingenuity should be leading change and embracing the new digital paradigm, embracing globalisation as the opportunity it is and stop wasting so much psychic energy trying to preserve an increasingly irrelevant past. Perhaps if the politicians showed some leadership on this front, the incredible talents and capital available in the diaspora might consider coming home. That really would be something worth imagining. Wow. What a great post. It drives me nuts when I hear the politicians bleat on about how the French need or want to “be protected”, especially since the rhetoric does not address the (legitimate) role of the state in protecting its citizens from physical threats (terrorism, crime, etc.) but is focused on ‘protecting’ French citizens and enterprises from competition - a sure route to mediocrity and failure. Coupled with the latent hypocrisy and contradiction embedded in the discussion of profits (which you so eloquently smoke out), the politicians (and media) end up painting a picture of a France of incompetent, frightened, spoiled and entitled victims. Of course the truth is nothing of the sort, but even the most self-confident person will waver if told repeatedly that they are not up to the competition and that somehow the playing field is always tilted against them. Sometime it seems as if some macabre co-dependency is played out between the French political class and the viewing public. It drives me nuts because France has everything it needs to compete - talent, human capital, creativity, reputation, etc. - and has no reason to fear change. Rather France and French ingenuity should be leading change and embracing the new digital paradigm, embracing globalisation as the opportunity it is and stop wasting so much psychic energy trying to preserve an increasingly irrelevant past. Perhaps if the politicians showed some leadership on this front, the incredible talents and capital available in the diaspora might consider coming home. That really would be something worth imagining.

]]> http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/blog/franceprofonde/death-of-an-old-style-entrepreneur/#comment-14108 Thu, 14 Jun 2007 16:02:19 +0000 http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/blog/franceprofonde/death-of-an-old-style-entrepreneur/#comment-14108 where our French imaginations are concerned, don't you think the local Cevenol people should be encouraged by their Conseil de Région to remember what skills they have and put them to good use to manufacture high quality goods which should remain a European area of excellence. It's a big word but isn't it time to counter consumerism by offering goods that last. where our French imaginations are concerned, don’t you think the local Cevenol people should be encouraged by their Conseil de Région to remember what skills they have and put them to good use to manufacture high quality goods which should remain a European area of excellence. It’s a big word but isn’t it time to counter consumerism by offering goods that last.

]]>