Tomorrow marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Jean-Paul Sartre. But according to yesterday's Observer article, there is apparently a concern in France that the country has run out of intellectuals. I was particularly interested to read what the London-based French writer Daniel Depland had to say on the subject:
'London is bubbling with ideas and France is asleep. Sartre had intellectual clout but he was also committed. He went and stood at the Metro exits to promote his 'La Cause du Peuple' pamphlet, and his influence was such that Charles de Gaulle did not dare send him to jail. French intellectuals today are narcissistic self-publicists with no humility. We're living in an era of entertainment and they are right in the middle of it.'
His comment stood out to me, in the light of what I wrote in an earlier post 'Subject of a Thesis' about a trend I'd noticed amongst certain London literary types that I'd bumped into of late. I happened to mention my observation to my tutor the wonderful Elizabeth Gortschacher in a coaching class on Saturday. Elizabeth coaches politicians for a living (brave woman) and she replied - 'Ah, these people need you, you see.' Well, her faith is very sweet but even if it were true, I can't think for a moment that any narcissist out there would be interested in learning the arts of questionning and listening in any case. However, I am interested in what Sartre had to say on the subject of being humble :
"I will not be modest. Humble, as much as you like, but not modest. Modesty is the virtue of the lukewarm."
Now that does strike a chord. I don't think there is much to be said for modesty either. When I speak about my own work, I speak with conviction. I remember that other great Sartre line about literature needing to be everything if it's worth an hour of one's time - you have to believe in your work, else why do it? But I do hope I'm humble enough to know when to shut up about it.
When I sit down to write tomorrow morning, I'll pin the latter quotation up above my desk in honour of the man. And make a mental note to buy the new biography of de Beauvoir too. Now if I had ever met her at a party, I'd say 'monologue away!'
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