"Countering the aperitif effect: a formula revealing the dramatic disconnection of the elites in power"

A keen observer of French political life and regular contributor to the FigaroVox, Maxime Tandonnet has notably published

André Tardieu.

The misunderstood

(Perrin, 2019).

To explain the government's decision to impose a new general curfew at 6 p.m., one of the main leaders of the management team and of the majority used a phrase intended to make an impression: we must avoid "

the effect". aperitif

”.

By that he meant that the objective of this measure was to prevent friendly or family gatherings over a drink or a meal that could spread the virus.

This declaration achieved part of its goal: it arouses the "buzz", provokes, on the right as on the left, an avalanche of reactions.

To read also:

Julia de Funès: "Bad times for freedom"

But beyond the media noise and that of social networks, this expression is rich in meanings.

It says a lot about the democratic divide or the gap of misunderstanding that separates the ruling elites from the population of this country.

It underscores once again how much contempt for people is at the center of the dominant ideology, the one that has underpinned political discourse and action for the past decade.

Words or gestures, coming from the same inspiration, manifesting the disdain of the nation in its depths, accumulate over time.

We had the toothless, the refractory Gauls, the lazy, those who are nothing, can't even afford a costume, just have to cross the street to find a job, smoke cigarettes and run on diesel .

And now here are the addicts to the daily aperitif.

The crisis of the yellow vests like the social movement, the surge of abstention as the anti-system vote (right or left), will therefore never serve as a lesson ...

It is undoubtedly representative of the image that the elites in power, as a whole, have of the population of this country and base their discourse and their action.

The formula of the "

aperitif effect

" suggests a real ignorance of the daily life of the French, in particular entrepreneurs, employees, students, who are also, very often, mothers and fathers of families.

It is undoubtedly representative of the image that the elites in power, as a whole, have of the population of this country and base their discourse and their action.

What do they imagine, judging by this shot?

They imagine the French at 6 p.m. on weekdays, leaving the office or the factory, rushing like one man in front of a glass of pastis, a half of beer, a ball of red wine, peanuts and crackers. .

However, this somewhat trivial image has no connection whatsoever with the reality of everyday life, far from the gilding of the palaces of the republic and official vehicles.

What do the “

toothless

” do at 6 pm, on weekdays, after work, in the vast majority of cases?

Groceries for dinner, children's homework, visits to the dentist or doctor, mail or bank or on the Internet.

In fact, the fifty-something slogan, "

metro / work / sleep

", has not aged a wrinkle.

To read also:

Curfew at 6 pm: "The negative economic impact is certain, the positive health impact is much less"

The aperitif effect obviously does not exist.

However, the use of this formula is worrying insofar as it manifests a disconnection of the ruling class which is the source of a huge misunderstanding with the country.

Protecting the population from the covid19 epidemic is of course an essential duty of the State.

The mission, oh how difficult!

of any government is to reconcile it with other equally fundamental and vital imperatives: the preservation of public freedoms, the life of businesses, the major balances of the French economy, education and training of schoolchildren and of students, of people's mental health.

It is not with trivial formulas like that of the “aperitif effect” that political leaders will regain this confidence which is the key to ending the crisis.

Bureaucratic pettiness, blackmail for collective sanction and repression will never achieve this complex balance.

Nothing is possible without the confidence of a nation in its leaders, the only one capable of deeply shaping daily behavior and facilitating acceptance of the vaccine.

It is not with trivial formulas such as the “

aperitif effect

” that political leaders will regain this confidence which is the key to ending the crisis.