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Like most of Houellebecq's novels, it is written in a darkly humorous style, and contains sharp criticisms of the widespread social atomization, materialism and consumerism he implies is a result of modern Capitalism and Liberalism. The novel was likely influenced by the writings of the French Marxist Sociologist [[Michel Clouscard]], who has proposed similar arguments, and who has notably critiqued the sexual revolution from a leftist perspective, by portraying it as the product of a late-stage "seductive Capitalism", that aims to promote consumption and distract the exploited class from their economic oppression by promoting hedonism and sexual license.<ref> https://philitt.fr/2019/02/28/le-capitalisme-selon-houellebecq-une-lutte-perpetuelle-qui-ne-peut-jamais-avoir-de-fin-1-3/ In French.</ref> Clouscard has also criticized modern Feminism as functionally being a Capitalist tool that facilitates the economic exploitation of men by women. He argues that it has served to divide the working class against itself (by agitating women against men, through labeling all men as oppressive "Phallocrats") in what he has dubbed "The prostitution economy".<ref> http://www.marxisme.wikibis.com/michel_clouscard.php In French.</ref> | Like most of Houellebecq's novels, it is written in a darkly humorous style, and contains sharp criticisms of the widespread social atomization, materialism and consumerism he implies is a result of modern Capitalism and Liberalism. The novel was likely influenced by the writings of the French Marxist Sociologist [[Michel Clouscard]], who has proposed similar arguments, and who has notably critiqued the sexual revolution from a leftist perspective, by portraying it as the product of a late-stage "seductive Capitalism", that aims to promote consumption and distract the exploited class from their economic oppression by promoting hedonism and sexual license.<ref> https://philitt.fr/2019/02/28/le-capitalisme-selon-houellebecq-une-lutte-perpetuelle-qui-ne-peut-jamais-avoir-de-fin-1-3/ In French.</ref> Clouscard has also criticized modern Feminism as functionally being a Capitalist tool that facilitates the economic exploitation of men by women. He argues that it has served to divide the working class against itself (by agitating women against men, through labeling all men as oppressive "Phallocrats") in what he has dubbed "The prostitution economy".<ref> http://www.marxisme.wikibis.com/michel_clouscard.php In French.</ref> | ||
The novel was made into a | The novel was made into a [[Whatever - Extension du domaine de la lutte (movie)|'movie']]. | ||
Its acknowledgement of a social hierarchy as being instinctive to human sexuality makes it arguably the most [[Blackpill|blackpilled]] novel in history.<ref>https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/whatever-1994-by-michel-houellebecq-a-superb-declaration-of-hostilities-1.3919923</ref> | Its acknowledgement of a social hierarchy as being instinctive to human sexuality makes it arguably the most [[Blackpill|blackpilled]] novel in history.<ref>https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/whatever-1994-by-michel-houellebecq-a-superb-declaration-of-hostilities-1.3919923</ref> | ||
= | =Synopsis= | ||
The hero is a 30 year old programmer earning a reasonably good wage. Ugly, depressive and lacking charisma, he is unsuccessful with women. He hasn't known a single woman since the separation from his girlfriend Véronique a few years ago. He doesn't match what women seek on market of sexuality and narcissistic satisfaction, people don't even remember his name. He is an observer of the hypocrisy of Western societies in which a strong social hierarchy based on sexuality prevails. | |||
In the context of his job he meets another programmer, Raphaël Tisserand who is a virgin and a [[truecel]] whom he despises because of his extreme ugliness and the consequential fact that women run away from him. | |||
During a work trip, Tisserand has a nervous breakdown over his inceldom and the hero leads him into a nightclub where he watches his pathetic attemps at approaching women who reject him. Tisserand tries to pick up another woman who resembles Véronique, the ex girlfriend of the narrator. The woman rejects him and leaves the nightclub with a young Black man to have sex with on the beach nearby. The narrator has racist thoughts and decides that they follow the couple. He tries to convince Tisserand to murder the woman, arguing that if he can't take her heart and body at least he can take her soul and life, to which the humiliated man agrees. Tisserand finally wimps out and kills himself in a car accident on his way back to Paris. | |||
The narrator's mental health worsens and he is willingly interned in a rest home. | |||
=Excerpts= | |||
[ . . . ] 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.<ref>Michel Houellebecq, ''Whatever'', 1994, translation by Paul Hammond, 1998, chapter 8: ''Back to the Cows''.</ref></blockquote> | [ . . . ] 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.<ref>Michel Houellebecq, ''Whatever'', 1994, translation by Paul Hammond, 1998, chapter 8: ''Back to the Cows''.</ref></blockquote> | ||