A Word About the Name/ À Propos le Nom

First, a word about the name of the blog. It comes from the formula that Voltaire used through much of his life when signing his letters and translates roughly to, "Crush the vile thing". In the context of the rest of his preoccupations it seems clear that the "thing" was a composite of religious intolerance, fanaticism, and, more generally, all the hateful irrationalities that drive humans to kill each other. I've chosen it because I find Voltaire's general attitude remarkably pertinent in a superstitious 21st century where, to the still supurating sores of religious conflict is added the post-modern fantasy that economics is a law of nature rather than something coerced out of human choices. We are furthermore imformed by the political elite of the West that we will be financially globalized whether we like it or not because some vague physics of history is pushing us in that direction. There is a religious fervor surrounding these assumptions, very likely because they cannot be proved. But we will revisit the theme again and again, so there is no need to belabor the point here.

My intention is to post both in English --where, flattering myself, I assume that I have some competence -- and in rather execrable French, which I am trying to "améliorer" after thirty years of neglect. Thus voilà:

D’abord, des mots sur le nom du blog. Il provient de la formule utilisée par Voltaire pendant beaucoup de sa vie en signant ses lettres. Je l’ai choisi parce que je retrouve remarquablement pertinente l’attitude de Voltaire dans le 21ieme siècle, superstitieux encore, où aux plaies suppurées encore des conflits religieux s’ajoute le fantasme que l’économie est le résultat d’une loi de la nature au lieu d’une chose contrainte, se levant des choix humains. En outre, les élites occidentales nous disent que le monde sera mondialisé que nous le voulions ou non .................................................................................J’ai intention de poster ici en anglais et en français tous les deux. Mon français est assez exécrable après trente ans pendant lequel je ne l’ai utilisé. Sentez-vous libre de me corriger.