Michel Houellebecq
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| Name: | Michel Houellebecq |
| Date of Birth: | 26 February 1956 |
| Occupation: | Writer |
| Ethnicity: | White (French) |
Michel Houellebecq is a prominent French novelist, poet[1] and director[2] who has written about inceldom among other subjects. In his books, he projects feminism as a corrupting, affirmative projection of neoliberalism;[3] feminism is described as creating inceldom.
In the novel Whatever (1994) he wrote:
[…] in societies like ours sex truly represents a second system of differentiation, completely independent of money; and as a system of differentiation it functions just as mercilessly. The effects of these two systems are, furthermore, strictly equivalent. Just like unrestrained economic liberalism, and for similar reasons, sexual liberalism produces phenomena of absolute pauperization. Some men make love every day; others five or six times in their life, or never. Some make love with dozens of women; others with none. It's what's known as `the law of the market'. In an economic system where unfair dismissal is prohibited, every person more or less manages to find their place. In a sexual system where adultery is prohibited, every person more or less manages to find their bed mate. In a totally liberal sexual system certain people have a varied and exciting erotic life; others are reduced to masturbation and solitude. Economic liberalism is an extension of the domain of the struggle, its extension to all ages and all classes of society. Sexual liberalism is likewise an extension of the domain of the struggle, its extension to all ages and all classes of society. […] Certain people win on both levels; others lose on both.[4]
Further writing[edit | edit source]
As most of his comments on sexuality are in the context of fiction, some are hard to fully attribute to Michel. He seems to repeat "fictional" sentiments about Islam for example, but is much more reserved reiterating points about sexuality outside of his books, either for or against certain controversial statements contained in his books. His books have been ridiculed by some as masturbatory, boring trolly, and written with sole intention to offend and posture.[5]
Alleged pro-sex-tourism[edit | edit source]
In his fictional book Plateform (2001), third world sex tourism is imagined in detail as a solution to inceldom, or indeed to a lot of things. Sex tourism is imagined as the, ‘future of the world.’ Sexual sublimation is argued as 'natural'. Thai sex workers are described as being more 'natural' than modern Western women.[6] Some critics chastised Michel for "promoting child sex trafficking".[7]
Alleged androcidal beliefs[edit | edit source]
The main protagonists of his book Atomised argue against patriarchy and men in general, stating:[8]
"What on earth are men for ... with their predilection for risk and danger, their repulsive egotism ... In earlier times, when bears were more common, perhaps masculinity served a particular and irreplaceable function, but for centuries now men clearly served no useful purpose. ... A society of women would be immeasurably preferable"
Alleged misogyny[edit | edit source]
Houellebecq has also been accused of misogyny due to the lack of romance in his sex and romance scenes, specifically his painting of love mostly in the context of lookism and youth.[9][10][11] Houellebecq however categorically denies misogyny. He has also stated it is not particularly "crucial" whether or not he is a misogynist.[12][13] He states he thinks feminism is "demographically doomed".[14] He once described Islamic women as "fat whores needing a lay".[15]
Further on inceldom[edit | edit source]
His book The Elementary Particles lays blame not just to sexual liberalism but also New Age spirituality, women’s magazines, social atomization and the decline of Christianity with regards to inceldom. He also lampoons traditionalist arranged marriage, suggesting it is impossible to return to and connecting it to Islam, which he hates even outside his fiction.[16]
Personal life[edit | edit source]
Earlier loser status[edit | edit source]
Houellebecq used to be a computer programmer and wrote poetry during his free time. Between 1988-1991, as he diagnosed with depression after the dissolution of his first short marriage, ugly, short, visiting psychiatric hospitals, and frequently unemployed,[17][18] he likely experienced inceldom . The semi-autobiographical novel Whatever (1994) depicts this period of his life, as the characters contained in the book go through a similar life trajectory.[19]
Politics[edit | edit source]
In 2018 he voiced his support in favor of Donald Trump:
[He] is one of the best American presidents I've ever seen. (French: Donald Trump est un des meilleurs présidents américains que j'aie jamais vu.)[20]
In 2019, he penned an article for Harper's magazine, being largely positive in his appraisal of Trump's performance as president, while condemning Trump's personal values and character.[21] He praised what he perceives as Trump's non-interventionist policies as compared to prior U.S presidents, his protectionist views regarding international trade, his criticism of the European Union, and his nationalism.
In the past, Houellebecq has been criticized for alleged anti-Muslim sentiment in several of his books particularly Platform and Submission (the latter being coincidentally released on the same day as the Charlie Hebdo massacre, with one the main themes of the novel being a Islamic takeover of France). While he claims not to be anti-Muslim, it is likely he is anti-Islam, as Houellebecq called Islam "the most stupid religion" ("la religion la plus con", using a particularly vulgar French word that can also be translated as "cunt" in English).[22] When asked by The Guardian if he was islamophobic, Houellebecq answered: "Yes, probably. One can be afraid." When pressed, he said: "Probably, yes, but the word phobia means fear rather than hatred." He said he was afraid "[t]hat it all goes wrong in the west; you could say that it’s already going wrong" and said he was talking about terrorism.[23]
Relationships[edit | edit source]
Houellebecq was married three times. In 2018 he married Qianyum Lysis Li, a looksmatching Chinese woman.[24] This marriage seems to be the first where he expressed a lot of public happiness about his marriage.[25]
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Art_of_Struggle
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Possibilit%C3%A9_d%27une_%C3%AEle_(film)
- ↑ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09639489.2012.674933?journalCode=cmcf20
- ↑ Michel Houellebecq, Whatever, 1994, translation by Paul Hammond, 1998, chapter 8: Back to the Cows.
- ↑ https://www.salon.com/2003/08/02/platform_2/
- ↑ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09639489.2012.674933?journalCode=cmcf20
- ↑ https://www.madeleinebyrne.com/blog/2015/3/31/on-michel-houellebecq-sex-and-the-west
- ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/books/2002/aug/31/fiction.michelhouellebecq
- ↑ https://www.npr.org/2015/10/20/448977012/dont-take-submission-lying-down
- ↑ https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-47973357
- ↑ https://thebigsmoke.com/2019/03/05/women-in-fiction-the-houellebecq-syndrome-political-incorrectness-vs-banality/
- ↑ https://www.vulture.com/2015/10/what-to-make-of-michel-houellebecqs-submission.html
- ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/sep/06/michel-houellebecq-submission-am-i-islamophobic-probably-yes
- ↑ https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2015/01/02/scare-tactics-michel-houellebecq-on-his-new-book/
- ↑ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/242187057_The_Le_Pen_Moment
- ↑ http://wenatcheethehatchet.blogspot.com/2018_08_19_archive.html
- ↑ https://quillette.com/2019/04/10/michel-houellebecq-prophet-or-troll/
- ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/books/2005/nov/05/fiction.michelhouellebecq
- ↑ https://www.lexpress.fr/culture/livre/1990-quand-michel-houellebecq-reparait-des-ordis_907917.html
- ↑ https://www.liberation.fr/direct/element/michel-houellebecq-fait-leloge-de-trump-dans-le-magazine-americain-harpers_91432/
- ↑ https://harpers.org/archive/2019/01/donald-trump-is-a-good-president/
- ↑ Houellebecq et Plateforme : «La religion la plus con, c'est quand même l'islam»
- ↑ Michel Houellebecq: ‘Am I Islamophobic? Probably, yes'
- ↑ L'amour, le sexe et les femmes... Michel Houellebecq se marie
- ↑ https://www.france24.com/en/20180923-french-writer-houellebecq-finds-happiness-third-marriage-friend