Michel Houellebecq

[Bartleby]

Found this video, which touches on what his new book is about, quite revealing:

 

[Ater Lividus Ruber & V]

Here's a detailed review:

Houellebecq: Annihilate - The Modern Novel

Home » France » Michel Houellebecq » Anéantir [Annihilate] Michel Houellebecq: Anéantir [Annihilate] Whatever your views on Michel Houellebecq, love him or hate him (and, I must admit, I have mixed views on him), he is certainly interesting, both as a writer and a human being. His books do seem...

www.themodernnovel.org

 

[Bartleby]

I've seen some enthusiastic reviews for Houellebecq's latest (and if we are to believe the author, final) novel; but some are pointing out that the actual removal of his hideous men, the mellower, more positive plotline, and the predictable elements (cyberterrorism, the right being popular in France etc), not to mention the novel's length, make the book boring. Curious to see if that's the case, as the below article says, or if perhaps wanting more of what the author has delivered in the past is more of a case of failed expectations...

The annihilation of Michel Houellebecq

Purged of venom, his sentimental swan song falls flat

unherd.com

 

[Corswandt]

I've seen some enthusiastic reviews for Houellebecq's latest (and if we are to believe the author, final) novel; but some are pointing out that the actual removal of his hideous men, the mellower, more positive plotline, and the predictable elements (cyberterrorism, the right being popular in France etc), not to mention the novel's length, make the book boring. Curious to see if that's the case, as the below article says, or if perhaps wanting more of what the author has delivered in the past is more of a case of failed expectations...

The annihilation of Michel Houellebecq

Purged of venom, his sentimental swan song falls flat

unherd.com

It's indeed tedious AF. Pater also read it, thinks exactly the same.

 

[nagisa]

I hate how... French this is.

French star writer Houellebecq seeks porn movie ban

French literary star Michel Houellebecq is seeking a ban on a sexually explicit film awaiting release and featuring the writer, his lawyers said Tuesday.

www.france24.com

 

[Liam]

He looks worse and worse with each passing year (and I don't mean in the way that we ALL do, LOL)... *sad*

If some people age like good wine, then Houellebecq is pretty much a dairy product.

 

[Corswandt]

Mick H. has been keeping himself busy.

Guest on Red Scare dirtbag left podcast (Dasha Nekrasova + Anna Khachiyan). Full video interview Patreon-walled:

Get more from Red Scare on Patreon

Creating podcasts

www.patreon.com

EDIT: left this post half typed and didn't notice people meanwhile mentioned the controversy around the porn film whose trailer I had just found and was going to share.

 

[nagisa]

Less haha-funny, and why I have very little sympathy for Houellebecq's, ahem, exposure: his recent comments where he goes full mask-off on the far-right shit:

Houellebecq predicted that “native” French people would soon be taking up arms and committing “acts of resistance” against Muslims in areas “under Islamic control.”
“There will be bombings and shootings in mosques, in cafés frequented by Muslims. In other words, reverse Bataclans,” he said, referring to the Paris concert hall where ISIS terrorists murdered dozens on November 13, 2015.
[...]
Beyond the comments on anti-Islam terror, the author commented on the Great Replacement conspiracy theory — according to which Muslims are displacing white people in the West — to say it is “not a theory, but a fact.”
He adds: “Our only hope of survival would be that white supremacy becomes ‘trendy’ in the United States.”

The radicalization of Michel Houellebecq

France’s fêted literary bad boy has triggered outrage with his predictions that ‘native’ French people could soon take up arms against areas ‘under Islamic control.’

www.politico.eu

 

[Benny Profane]

I hate how... French this is.

French star writer Houellebecq seeks porn movie ban

French literary star Michel Houellebecq is seeking a ban on a sexually explicit film awaiting release and featuring the writer, his lawyers said Tuesday.

www.france24.com

LOL! I thought it was the porn filmed on the Nice's Stadium. I also think it's a legitim plot of Postmodernism.

Yep. The French intelectuals are funny! They convert anything onto a philosophical treaty with neologisms about liberty of body, political manifestations onto a transmutation of body as we can see them in Paul Preciado's essays about porn stars and porn-politcs.

 

[Leseratte]

Less haha-funny, and why I have very little sympathy for Houellebecq's, ahem, exposure: his recent comments where he goes full mask-off on the far-right shit:

The radicalization of Michel Houellebecq

France’s fêted literary bad boy has triggered outrage with his predictions that ‘native’ French people could soon take up arms against areas ‘under Islamic control.’

www.politico.eu

This sounds like our former president B. only in French version. When I read that kind of comment my first feeling is, these famous people are aiming at the headlines. The problem is they all have lots of followers!

 

[Benny Profane]

This sounds like our former president B. only in French version. When I read that kind of comment my first feeling is, these famous people are aiming at the headlines. The problem is they all have lots of followers!

Engagement! Long live the Digital Marketing and Social Media!!!

 

[nagisa]

LOL! I thought it was the porn filmed on the Nice's Stadium. I also think it's a legitim plot of Postmodernism.

Yep. The French intelectuals are funny! They convert anything onto a philosophical treaty with neologisms about liberty of body, political manifestations onto a transmutation of body as we can see them in Paul Preciado's essays about porn stars and porn-politcs.

Houellebecq is not an intellectual; he is, at best, a "grand écrivain". There is a difference.

And Preciado is Spanish, and has actually interesting things to say, beneath the neologisms.

 

[nagisa]

This sounds like our former president B. only in French version. When I read that kind of comment my first feeling is, these famous people are aiming at the headlines. The problem is they all have lots of followers!

Why do you think that these pronouncements are for media attention, rather than their sincerely held beliefs? Especially since their actions and repeated prononcements point in that direction? (And why would they attract media attention, if it was not felt to resonate with the sincerely held beliefs of at least a fraction of the population? — Whom let's call them the deplorable fraction, in the words of an ill-fated US presidential candidate...)

 

[Benny Profane]

Houellebecq is not an intellectual; he is, at best, a "grand écrivain". There is a difference.

And Preciado is Spanish, and has actually interesting things to say, beneath the neologisms.

I said that about French intellectuals in general. Paul Preciado was the first one name on my mind.
I might cite, for example, Sartre, Beauvoir, Camus, Foucault, Derrida, etc.
Yep, it was a joke!

 

[Leseratte]

Why do you think that these pronouncements are for media attention, rather than their sincerely held beliefs? Especially since their actions and repeated prononcements point in that direction? (And why would they attract media attention, if it was not felt to resonate with the sincerely held beliefs of at least a fraction of the population? — Whom let's call them the deplorable fraction, in the words of an ill-fated US presidential candidate...)

Because media exposition seems to be the mantra today. No one (unless your closed friends) will care much for your opinions IMO, whether sincere or not, as long as they aren´t trumpeted by the media. If chocking statements bring a good return like an increased number of followers, you probably will go on making chocking statements. Today it´s sadly often the villains (in our case here the far right people) that gain the stage. Why? Because a significative part of the population seems to identify with them.

 

[Benny Profane]

Because media exposition seems to be the mantra today. No one (unless your closed friends) will care much for your opinions IMO, whether sincere or not, as long as they aren´t trumpeted by the media. If chocking statements bring a good return like an increased number of followers, you probably will go on making chocking statements. Today it´s sadly often the villains (in our case here the far right people) that gain the stage. Why? Because a significative part of the population seems to identify with them.

Perfect!

Guys, don't fail into a trap! Yeah, this is a Digital Marketing's trick! This is an old trick, an algorithmic trap. Didn't Houellenbecq publish a book recently? He pursuites to reach new readers, despite these recently speeches. And how is he doing this? Being in evidence and causing angry reactions abroad.

Our former president (I wish he rot in hell) and Houellenbecq have a common thing: both are good in Social Media and engagement. Both said horrible things and reach their goals.
And how can we deal with that? Just smile and don't mind!

 

[nagisa]

Perfect!

Guys, don't fail into a trap! Yeah, this is a Digital Marketing's trick! This is an old trick, an algorithmic trap. Didn't Houellenbecq publish a book recently? He pursuites to reach new readers, despite these recently speeches. And how is he doing this? Being in evidence and causing angry reactions abroad.

Our former president (I wish he rot in hell) and Houellenbecq have a common thing: both are good in Social Media and engagement. Both said horrible things and reach their goals.
And how can we deal with that? Just smile and don't mind!

This severely underestimates the specifically political goal these people are pursuing, which is a fight for Gramscian cultural hegemony by shifting the Overton window. I can assure you that Houellebecq was not thinking of an international audience when he gave that interview in that niche periodical. And this severely misjudges what would be necessary to fight it. "Smile and don't mind" didn't cut it in 1930s Germany, or 1990s Rwanda.

 

[alik-vit]

This severely underestimates the specifically political goal these people are pursuing, which is a fight for Gramscian cultural hegemony by shifting the Overton window. I can assure you that Houellebecq was not thinking of an international audience when he gave that interview in that niche periodical. And this severely misjudges what would be necessary to fight it. "Smile and don't mind" didn't cut it in 1930s Germany, or 1990s Rwanda.

And we can expand this list and include Russia in 2000s. This horrible war and current total moral bankruptcy of the nation are results. It's really pure Gramscian story.

 

[Benny Profane]

And this severely misjudges what would be necessary to fight it. "Smile and don't mind" didn't cut it in 1930s Germany, or 1990s Rwanda.

It's quite different, brother. It's a modern trap occasioned by dysfunctions of social media.
Houellebencq wants to engagement and to sell his books. It's very simple.

Houellebencq doesn't aim to have the power to fight against minorities or anybody else.
For example, if you give a gun or some stuff to him, I can bet that he won't know to shoot anybody or anything.

That guy with mustach, differently, knew to shoot.

Edit: Don't we have a code at Internet called "don't feed the trolls"? In my opinion, that is applicable to Houellebencq!

 

[nagisa]

It's quite different, brother.

No, it is not, brother. Yes, Houellebecq probably enjoys the engagement and sales; but this is also part of his sincerely held beliefs, which he is expressing, with the reach he has, as part of a political project. That is the power he has to fight the minorities he hates. You don't need to have a gun and shoot if you are inciting others to do it. It is a severe underestimation to consider Houellebecq just a notoriety-hungry troll who can be safely ignored. The shift in the Overton window, the change in cultural hegemony, is the result of a slow process of undermining, and the alt-right has understood this perfectly.

To make the point clearer here: one of France's most visible and celebrated writers is now openly musing about anti-Muslim pogroms and wishing for white supremacy. We are FAR past the point of "smile and don't mind" & "don't feed the trolls."