“The contempt of knowledge has become the charm of politics to seduce the people”

IThere was a time when political speech was enlightened. As public action was. A time when elected women and men thought about our world with writers, artists, scientists and researchers.

There was even a time when political organizations had their own bodies of reflection within which the great names of French literature took their place alongside philosophers, sociologists or historians. That time was the time of thought and ideas. Precious time to question beliefs. Certainties too. Without ever fearing doubt.

Today, it seems forbidden to doubt. Political parties have externalized thought, the production of ideas. The divorce between politicians – also the media – and intellectuals is consummated. The former despise the latter. The latter ignore the former. “I think that today, intellectuals are silent and their silence is deafening. The great intellectuals, who have courage, who harangue the crowds… We are missing”recently launched the actor Vincent Lindon in the program “C à vous”, on France 5.

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This just cry from the heart and from reason must challenge us. However, do intellectuals lack courage? No. Their works are numerous. The philosophical and sociological essays have nothing to envy to the literary season. They are plethoric. Observations and proposals for dealing with the disorders of the world are in our bookstores. And on the desks of our ministers, senators, deputies, elected officials – sent free of charge by publishing houses. What do they do with it?

confidence has plummeted

Intellectuals are not silent. They think. Publish. Are indignant. The political and media world acts as if this work did not exist. Not “profitable” enough. Disconnected from any scientific basis and objective data, it is often content with a few clichés and prejudices to justify unjustifiable policies: on migrants, the unemployed, women, young people or retirees. On debt, climate, inequality or agriculture.

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And when politicians conveniently manage to make the intellectual a foil, a surety – an adviser to the prince – to better support a reform, the entire scientific community is affected.

The health and ecological crises have been there and while scientists have benefited from significant media visibility, the confidence of the French in them has dropped by nearly twenty points in a few months. The political responsibility, linked to the instrumentalization of those who think and enrich our knowledge, is immense.

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