The great void of political vocabulary
Lionel Dollot, Paris
“Carry” has apparently become the verb most used by the political class. From now on, we carry everything: ambitions, projects, applications, visions, ideas, missions, approaches, proposals, work, convictions, debates, reflections, and so on… The French language as well becomes poorer when we no longer want to use more precise and varied verbs. Hence undoubtedly the gloubi-boulga of the speeches of our politicians and other unions… Always carrying is heavy. (“Dissolution, the twenty days that turned France upside down”, L’Express, October 24.)
Public finances: all guilty
Laurent Neulat, La Motte-Servolex (Savoie)
I agree with Nicolas Bouzou’s analysis. The promises of the New Popular Front and the National Rally regarding lowering the retirement age are crazy and go against what is being done everywhere else. The main culprits of this situation and this state of mind are the politicians who always make us believe in tomorrows who sing by making unrealistic promises. It is also because of their lack of courage: their actions are only aimed at the short term. (“Slippage in public finances: all guilty!”, by Nicolas BouzouL’Express of October 24.)
The taste for public spending
Claude Le Bellac, Paris
The article on page 57 of your October 24 issue ends with “Let’s stop resorting to public spending indiscriminately.” And what do we find on the next page? “If he [votre château] is registered, classified or labeled, you will be able to obtain subsidies from the State, the region, the department or the municipality, but above all you will benefit from a favorable tax regime.” A little consistency would not hurt… (“Becoming a lord, a dream within the reach of (almost) everyone”L’Express of October 24).
Who will impose peace in Palestine?
Bruno Lonchampt, Dole (Jura)
The wounds caused by Israeli savagery are gaping and will never heal. This country obtains military results, certainly, but by attacking civilian populations, it also creates martyrs who will nourish the vocations of new generations among its adversaries. In short, hatred will grow, on its territory but also in the world in general. The current bloody cleansing will turn against Israel and it is not aware of it. We no longer know what constitutes personal revenge and self-defense. This religious war in the 21st century can produce neither winner nor loser, only accumulation of corpses and hatred. Difficult to say who, in the end, will win this war that has become media and ideological. God, if he exists, must be ashamed, whatever side invokes him. (“Third temple: the project of all dangers”L’Express of October 31.)
A wonderful gift…
Hélène Rousseau, Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin)
Thank you for the magnificent gift that your issue on “The Challenges of the West” constitutes, rich in sharing and positively open views on the world of tomorrow. Far from today’s devastating controversies, it offers us a great breath of fresh air! (“Yuval Noah Harari: “Our knowledge is put at the service of sometimes delusional mythologies“”, L’Express of October 17.)
… with a special thought for modelers!
Pierre Kueny, Mantes-la-Jolie (Yvelines)
Really thank you to the whole team for this great number. With a special thought for the graphic designers and model makers who offered us a beautiful layout in support of articles nourishing reflection and action. (“Tony Estanguet: “With the Games, we showed that our country was capable of anything””L’Express of October 17.)
With Nicolas Bouzou, take part in the Meetings of the Future
What future for our democracies? For our welfare state? For our health? For the cities of tomorrow? For our aeronautics industry with the urgency of decarbonization? For youth? For Afghan women? For three days, from Friday November 8 to Sunday November 10 at the Saint-Raphaël conference center, Meetings of the future, organized by economist Nicolas Bouzou, in partnership with L’Express, will bring together philosophers, essayists, economists, business leaders, artists and political leaders to try to decipher the major shifts at work today. Among the round tables and major interventions planned, we will particularly note that of political scientist Yascha Mounk devoted to the future of American democracy, a few days after a historic election in the United States. Or that of the former President of the Republic, Nicolas Sarkozy, focused on the future of France.