France — happily unhappy
original text was published in Voestalpine magazine in 2014
French people love to complain. This is a kind of national sport, a basic fact of our cultural identity: more precisely, we ‘râle’- a particularly French way of grumbling or complaining. In the “Happiness Report 2013”, France ranked 25th, behind countries like Venezuela, Panama and Mexico, quite a paradox for a country that usually sees itself somewhere nearer the top of any pile, and never fails to display its international ambitions. Many mock this an inflated national ego, but we do not despair — our usual competitor, Germany, was ranked 26th.
The economic crisis is often cited as the cause of this gloominess. Unemployment is over 10%, affecting mostly our under 30s and over 50s, and the situation for graduates is not much better. It’s highly likely that a new graduate will have to work as an intern for around €400 per month for a few years. Considering that the average rental in Paris is €40/m2, they don’t exactly expect luxurious living. France is the country where job security is actually the most protected in the EU, but this doesn’t prevent French workers having the strongest feelings of job insecurity, as the future is seen as menacing and unpredictable.
This causes real anxiety. The French are scared of becoming poor. A survey shows that 30% of the population considers themselves to have been ‘poor’ at least once in their lifetime, and they are afraid of that happening again. So, we shouldn’t be entirely surprised to learn that France tops the league of European tranquilizer use, just behind Portugal. The suicide rate in France is also one of the highest in the EU. So, is France doomed?
Michel Lejoyeux, head of psychiatry at Bichat hospital and author of ‘Changing for the Best’, refutes the link between pessimism and the economic crisis, “We know that the harder times are, the less you see depressed people. There are fewer suicides when we are in a times of difficulty. It may be because people have less opportunities to think about themselves. In fact, the more pessimistic people are, the better their health is”. Beyond the snobbish pleasure of low self-esteem, France remains the world’s fifth largest economic power, and has successful companies in many sectors: aerospace, banking, telecoms, construction, agriculture, luxury goods and tourism.
But let’s put aside the clichés and take a closer look at how France really is. It’s a centralized country, where Paris concentrates political and economic power. Here people are stressed by long trips in public transport; managers have an habit of working extremely long hours; and daily life costs 20% more than in the rest of the country. It’s a beautiful city, living off its glorious past and glamorous image, of which the writer Colette said, “Paris is the only city in the world where it is not needed to be happy”.
That may be so, but the French are fleeing from Paris to settle down in cities like Nantes, Toulouse and Lyon, which offer a better quality of life, lower housing fees, and good job opportunities. And outside Paris, you’ll find gorgeous countryside where daily life is affordable, and allows the French tradition of ‘Art de Vivre’ (art of life) which emphasizes beauty and comfort at home, and indulgences such as perfume, flowers, wine, and good cooking. The result is simple — happiness is much higher outside Paris.
However, this comes at its own cost: ‘pour vivre heureux, vivons cachés’ (to be happy, stay hidden) is the motto. For fiscal reasons, but also due to religious and political influence, the display of wealth is seen as vulgar in the rural French tradition. Far away from the “bling bling” characteristics of Paris you’ll find discreet houses with magnificent gardens, sublime villas on the remote hills of Lubéron, or the biggest fleet of cabin cruisers in Europe.
Stephen Clarke, the French correspondent for the UK Daily Mail and author of the international best-seller “A year in the merde”, has a long experience of French culture and paradox, and concluded one of his columns by saying, “I always say to my French friends who complain, which is their national hobby, that they have no idea how lucky they are”.
Yes Stephen, we râle, and it makes us happy.
Fabrice Pozzoli-Montenay
