Dyears the book Stay in your place…!, by Sébastien Le Fol, on class defectors, former President Nicolas Sarkozy explains that the word “energy” annoys him. “What do we say about those who made the grandes écoles? That they are intelligent in principle. Conversely, it has been said of me that I have energy. “ And now, at the death of Bernard Tapie, Nicolas Sarkozy greeted “His indomitable energy”. A characteristic with which the businessman had himself associated since the Wonder batteries campaign.
Celebrating Tapie and his energy means sharing, they believe, a little something with the footballers, the Marseillais, the captains of SMEs, the anti-systems and, who knows, the France from below which had nothing to see with him but couldn’t hate him.
To this quality, many have paid tribute, by Emmanuel Macron (she “Inspired millions of French people”) to Valérie Pécresse via Laurence Ferrari, Xavier Bertrand, Pierre Moscovici, Eric Dupond-Moretti, Nadine Morano. François Bayrou even found in the former minister “A nuclear power plant”. Energy makes everyone agree. A bit like courage in the face of illness, but less sad. It avoids other consensual qualities, like “Faithful in friendship”, difficult to handle for those who stood at a distance a few years ago.
In this beatification of energy, they allowed themselves amnesia on convictions and corruption cases. So they prefer to say “Non-standard”. Because they know they won’t be able to be like him, because they love power and admire those who keep it. To have known the gilding of the Republic, the omnipotence of money, the lights of the TV, and to have the air of a guy who talks like in the bistro downstairs, it’s rare. And it is precious, especially in these times when the elites are in the popular sights. Celebrating Tapie and his energy means sharing, they believe, a little something with the footballers, the Marseillais, the captains of SMEs, the anti-systems and, who knows, the France from below which had nothing to see with him but couldn’t hate him.
How do we recognize them?
They had underestimated the fervor of the FIFA World Cup, had not been invited to Johnny’s funeral, had not regretted Belmondo’s departure enough… This time, they weren’t going to miss the farewell to Bernard Tapie. In an election year, everything is good to try to hang up the cars with the people. Since the eruption of banter and mafia mores in the bourgeoisie, they lend to the rest of France their fascination with the ways of thugs. They like to tell about the time they got yelled at by Tapie (without knowing that everyone got yelled at by Tapie), it proves that they were within earshot. By celebrating Bernard Tapie, they are convinced to side with anti-systems, such as Michel-Edouard Leclerc, who believes that the businessman, in his tracks, had not seen it coming “The alliance of the big bourgeois” against him. They also avoid speaking ill of Didier Raoult and Gérard Depardieu.
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