Whatever (novel): Difference between revisions

The novel was likely (somewhat) influenced by the writings of the French Marxist Sociologist [[Michel Clouscard]], who at least explored similar ideas, but with a different train of thought.  Clouscard notably critiqued the sexual revolution as aiming to distract the working class from their economic poverty by promoting a range of romantic choice not within the reach of most of the working class.<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 indirectly criticized feminism as transactional and consumerist.  Cloudcard described the sexual marketplace being entirely the domian of rich people, whereas Houellebecq's characters described the sexual marketplace as all-encompassing.  Feminism was simply another example of things being allowed, but not possible.  Clouscard argued 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>