polity

commenting on the f'nch relationship with politics is like explaining the concept of, say for example, "nostalgia" to a parrot using only a salmon and a pair of swimming goggles. but i'm going tp try.
the following clichés are not gospel truth, but may help give the non-f'nch blogreader an idea (if such a person should ever visit this page)

• politics is to conversation as heat is to cooking
• non-f'nch politics is to be avoided, as bringing it up in conversation is regarded as rude and a bit show-offy
• left-wing = roll-your-own cigarettes and nostril hair; right-wing = psychopath/catholic, boat shoes and sun-tan
  
• it all boils down to a decision between "libérale", which translates (roughly) as "capitalist" and "sociale", which roughly translated means, well, "French"
  
• if the person you're speaking to is under 40 and libérale, it means they've spent time outside France
• the f'nch talk about France in the same way as parents talk about their children (or their parents; if they're a little senescent and beginning to smell a bit)
• you don't get any points for agreeing with anyone about anything: this spoils the game
• politics is no longer about ideas, it's mainly about people
• politicians who talk "langue de bois" are corrupt
• politicians who don't talk "langue de bois" are unelectable
• there are usually 47 reasons why something is "wrong" or "bad" or "won't work" or "rubbish" etc.
• it's seen as high-level f'nchness to defend an unpopular position
• unpopular positions are defined by with whom you are talking/eating
• which came first: the inexorable meal, or the interminable conversation? coincidence or evolution?

in reality politics is no more popular with the french than beer is with the english. it's a simple social mechanism that fills in time while we move on to more interesting things like....well, if we knew what was next each time we sat down together we wouldn't need to talk shop, would we?