en) France, Alternative Libertaire AL #235 - Read: "The unfortunate identity" Alain Finkielkraut (fr, pt)

We do not have to use advertising to the enemies of our current and more broadly all 
Workers. However, criticize the mud in lieu of thinking we Finkielkraut seems important 
because unfortunately this "philosopher" has some influence ... ---- Reactionary 
philosophy Finkielkraut, the shameful Maurrassian ---- In his latest book, Finkielkraut 
purport to summarize the French society today. In fact the book is rather a series of 
chapters it is. First, the author shows an obsession of the Islamic veil that term back 43 
times! ---- However, it would be wrong to believe that there is no thread. Finkielkraut is 
known for its hostility to anything that refers to the suburbs, youth, immigration. But 
this is only one aspect, emerged things. Finally, the occurrences that are not reported as 
many as one might think.

His thesis is very simple and is also more general: Finkielkraut hates his era and 
everything that characterizes: rap culture, language "foul", internet, miscegenation, 
teachers who talk like their students by doubling the subject of a phrase ...

It expresses nostalgia for an imaginary France, rebuilt, which combines the former 
government (monarchies qualified for the needs of the cause of "civilized") that exalts 
the beginnings of bourgeois rule that gave a hand to humanities in the education of his 
children, and inclusive school the immediate post World War II.

Without saying so clearly, it is clear that this book is a Maurrassian Finkielkraut. The 
result is a weird text, confused, where contradictory things can be asserted while reading 
the always Republican and progressive while uttering the most reactionary platitudes.

The frame of each statement is:

Step A: Asserting that "we are not at home." During this step, attack an "adversary" 
imaginary tailor-made: any disagreement could only be the result of "self-righteous bobos".

Step B: To deny what has been said before: no, this is not Maurras, we never affirm that 
you are not at home. Besides, I'm not myself Jewish, and son of a deportee?

Step C: Reaffirm that all the same, we are no longer at home.

This type of exposure can pass, for those who do not see the contradiction, as "a balanced 
view" , then it is only a disarmament strategy for shelter reviews . And it is shamelessly 
he exhibits his parents and past deportees as an excuse to hide behind a suspicion status: 
how he, the son of poor Jewish immigrants, could he be suspected of cultivating nostalgia 
for France old and rejection of new wogs?

That is what he does. His idiocy shines when it comes to entering into the details of his 
demonstration. Finkielkraut mythifies distorts the past and the present: immigrants were 
they considered more "integrated" in the past? When one thinks of the pogroms they had to 
endure 200 years (at least) nothing is certain!

But how could one speak of incompetence on the part of someone able to quote 158 authors, 
that is to say on average more than one every two pages? At this level, it is not 
scholarship, it's ventriloquism! Compulsion Finkielkraut for quotes, which checks during 
the interviews he gives, is explained both by the need to impose, and to confirm its 
legitimacy in the eyes of the humanities which he is the champion.

Finkielkraut's description of the "bobos" ready to smile, although he does not develop as 
it suits him well. For Finkielkraut, a good student, has never suffered the hardships of 
life. Never unemployed, without economic difficulties holder prestigious Polytechnic 
institutional positions and France Culture. The difficulties to teach only be explained by 
the incivility of which are found originally in May 68. The problem comes from the other, 
the great sin no longer xenophobia but its inverse, he pompously called "oikophobie" : 
another way to denounce "anti-white racism" .

No new ideas in this book, then. Remains the title. On the unfortunate identity, it is not 
so in this book. If the word identity is up to 32 times, why unhappy? Is it only the state 
of mind of the author, or the title he was imposed by the publisher, which is always possible?

It is not surprising, conversely, the success of "identity" in fascist parties: under the 
leadership of Bruno Megret, the National Front gave this name to its theoretical journal, 
while her bangs rightmost is itself called "identity." For Finkielkraut and the National 
Front share, in addition to an apology from a bygone imaginary France, hatred of 
miscegenation. Will this be enough to allow it Finkielkraut's accession to the party? 
Probably not, because too many prejudices exist, and this would disavow in his professions 
of republican faith. But the key is not there: it is confusion in this book talks, and it 
legitimate. For Finkielkraut is not a thinker, but a collector of ideas of his time that 
he is only fit and he wears a painted humanities. To this extent, Finkielkraut prepares 
the next advances the extreme right by awarding him letters of nobility.

Jean Ferrette (Ami AL)

Alain Finkielkraut, The unfortunate identity , Stock, 2013 240 pages, free price.