Michel Onfray - Puissance et décadence

Is drawing inspiration from the Enlightenment to illuminate our times a bold undertaking? Michel Onfray presents his book "Power and Decadence," published by Bouquins. Interview with Pierre Coutelle. Find the book here: https://www.mollat.com/livres/2643461... The French philosopher begins the discussion by affirming the importance of a "clear line" in French philosophy, embodied by Montaigne, Descartes, and Camus, which contrasts sharply with the obscurantism of certain German thinkers, such as Hegel, or their French followers. This approach, which prioritizes clarity, literature, and psychology, makes philosophy accessible to everyone, including those without an academic background. The conversation then shifts to the foundations of French socialism, which he contrasts with Marxism, which he characterizes as German and Jacobin. He highlights a French tradition, represented by figures like Proudhon, that advocates non-violent revolution and worker association rather than negativity and the destruction of property. He denounces Marxist dogmatism and its historical consequences, pointing to the acceptance of violence deemed necessary to achieve an ideal, thus justifying catastrophes like the Gulag. The philosopher condemns the legacy of this Jacobin thought and its perpetuation in contemporary political debate. The discussion concludes with an analysis of sovereignty, which, for Michel Onfray, is not a policy in itself, but rather the means to achieve all politics. He laments the loss of this sovereignty in France, which he attributes to its subjugation to the United States after the Second World War, and subsequently to European integration. He compares this situation to a condominium association that dictates the residents' every move. Sovereignty is no longer exercised at the people's level, but is decided without their input. The author links the decline of the nation to that of a peasant and Virgilian civilization, destroyed by industrialization and productivism. He criticizes a world where everything becomes a commodity, where money and profitability are the only values, even for essential services like healthcare and education. 0:00 The Power of French Philosophy 1:59 The French Spirit of Philosophy 8:37 French Socialism versus Marxism 11:35 The Negativity Necessary for History 15:53 ​​The Power of Marx 24:08 The Choice of the French Revolution 33:28 The Philosophy of Rousseau 41:16 Hobbes's Philosophy and the Right of Insurrection 44:19 Sovereignty and its Foundations 50:39 French Diplomacy and the Secret Services 55:27 Abortion as a European Value 57:28 Values ​​and Decadence 1:06:50 Ecology and Industrialization Music: © mollat Subtitles automatically generated in French by YouTube. Visit the website: http://www.mollat.com/ Follow Mollat ​​Bookstore on social media: Instagram:   / librairie_mollat   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Librairie.mo... Twitter:   / librairiemollat   LinkedIn:   / votre-libraire-mollat   Soundcloud:   / librairie-mollat   Pinterest:   / librairiemollat   Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/mollat