Football and Other Gripes

Disclaimer: Whenever I say negative things about France, my friends are always excluded from the collective.

I think I have finally seen a major manifestation of the root of all things wrong with the French. Just in case you don’t know, the World Cup is in process this month and France is playing in the matches, as is the United States. Well, instead of French people supporting France (duh!), many of them are supporting Brazil. A frightening large amount of French are wearing Brazil t-shirts, shoes, colors, short, etc.

I might be wrong about this, but don’t most people usually support their country in these types of sports? I know France doesn’t really have a chance to win the World Cup; neither does the United States, but I still support my country. I will cheer for the United States even if they are losing miserably. I think most Americans will do the same, even if it is a long shot, because we are patriotic. Apparently, some of the French won’t ever cheer for their team, perhaps in anticipation that they will lose anyway.

This lack of support for fellow countrymen pretty much sums up the French attitude for me. Don’t get me wrong, jingoism runs amuck here, but it is not patriotism. French politics and French business are run with the belief that the only correct way to do things is the French way and any type of change, albeit positive change, threatens their culture. I think the French need a little less jingoism and a little more patriotism! France, support your team!

I don’t know; maybe it is just me, but I think when a large portion of a country’s population is not supporting its team, it says something major about the country!

While I am on the subject of pointing out France’s annoying aspects, I would also like to mention that air conditioning has not yet been invented here. I don’t know when it will be, hopefully in the next year or so, but in case not, I would greatly appreciate it if someone could send the patent for air conditioning to France. It has been miserable a couple of days already and we still have July and August to get through. The only place it is cool is in the frozen section of the grocery store, not the rest of the store, not in the mall, not in the schools, not in the metro. No where. I can never cool off!

I think not having air conditioning is how the government keeps a leash on social security. When it gets really hot, the old folks are the first to drop and viola, France gets another few years to think about how to deal with retirees. In 2003, more than 14,000 people died in France because of the heat! GET AIR CONDITIONING, YOU FOOLS! I know it won’t be used nearly as much as it is in other parts of the world, but please, oh god, please, don’t be afraid of progress. It only hurts for a bit.