English Genius | Philosophy of Journalism

Hearing the discordant reactions of some of his French comrades, The collective emotion felt by Englishmen the day after the Queen’s death was keen to counter their republican beliefs Elizabeth IIOur teacher Martin Lecrosse He answered the call Mark BlochIt called for no surrender “impervious to the expression of collective enthusiasm”.

“ In Strange failure, Writing in 1940, trying to understand on the spot the moral and political causes of France’s decline in the face of Nazi Germany, Bloch offered this formulation, which became famous: “There are two sections of the French people who have never understood the history of France: those who refuse to echo the memory of the coronation of Rheims; Those who read the story of Confederation Day dispassionately.” The day after Queen Elizabeth II’s death, I would be tempted to finish her formula: “There are two groups of French people who have never understood the history of the United Kingdom: those who deny the resonance God save the queen will ring at Westminster Abbey for the Queen’s funeral; and those who read the words spoken by the Bastard character without emotion The Life and Death of King John of ShakespeareLyrics are quoted George Orwell On the BBC in 1941 he called on his comrades not to surrender to German bombing: ‘The three corners of the world are rushing upon us in arms, and we shall face their shock. As long as England is true to herself we shall have no trouble.’“

What is English Genius? Beyond a long line of specific cultural traits (vizRecruitment Application From extreme attachment to individual liberties to culture pub, Through the love of flowers emphasized by Orwell, I would say that the English genius attests to a twist in arranging them because these people are passionately attached to certain customs that are strange. Besides, when achieved – that’s genius! – Share or appreciate similar apps around the world. First example: football. Did it not become the world’s first game, despite the ban on touching the ball with the hand, a prime asset of the human condition, and the strange rule of “outside play”? Another example: the legal system General Law, is founded on the principle of jurisprudence and a very conservative rule of precedent, which has been adopted by a very large number of countries except those under the French influence of written civil law. How do we understand that the modern legal and economic world, while attached to clear rules and fixed principles, supports a legal system based on respecting the spirit of past decisions? One last example: rock ‘n’ roll. Unlike the universal genre known as “classical” music, rock retains, by name only, the identity of its origins… and presents itself as a radical critical force in English consciousness—as a reminder, The queen is dead Smiths topic from 1986… It is true that there are some mistakes in the universal poll of English geniuses: the English metric system (although Greenwich still includes the universal reference point), or still driving left (even if they succeeded in imposing it on railways all over the world)… other countries, France And where America, perhaps tomorrow China, aspires to promote global innovation to the rest of the world, the British present a plan. It is much more modest and makes more sense to the world: they propose applications.

This is what happened before our eyes. When you think about it, with the festivities surrounding the death of Queen Elizabeth II. It shook the world to hear these two sutras uttered one after the other: “The queen is dead!”, “God save the king!” ? A specific way to defy authority? A certain idea of ​​fidelity to past trials that allows a people to be a nation? A chance to overcome death on a collective scale? I do not know. But no nation has thought to adopt these customs, and all eyes are fixed on England… at least we can wonder. As for those who contradict before the testimony of loyalty which Englishmen show to their Queen and their King, they surrender. “Raincoats, As Bloch says, to any idea of ​​collective enthusiasm.” »

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