News flash: The French are not optimists.

Did your head explode yet? No? Didn’t think so. And the survey says:out of 53 countries, France has the most prophets of doom when it comes to 2011. Seriously? We needed a poll to unearth this shocking tid bit? People were actually paid money to conclude that when you ask a French person how they feel about the future, the consensus will be something like, “I might try to shoot myself in the face if I can work up the motivation to leave the couch.” Oy.

It has definitely joined the ranks of Cap’n Obvious’ Best hits list. Of course, someone had to take 1st prize in the Grumpy pageant, and, OF COURSE, it’s our beloved Frenchies. I mean, come on, they’re against resolutions?! Might as well be against joy, double-rainbows, unicorn snuggles, and purring, calico kittens. What’s interesting to me is not that we needed someone to tell us the French are a bunch of “glass-isn’t-half-empty-it’s-fucking-dryer-than-a-bone” types. It’s that now we have a benchmark according to which we may compare just how cynical this nation is compared to other nations that are FAR worse off. What does this say about the French? What does it say about the other countries? Could it be that France feels like it’s peaked, and can only go down hill from here? Has Sarko infringed so on the birth rights of French citizens that they feel 2011 is just another stepping stone to a molten hell on earth? Are the other countries in such a bad place, that things can only get better? Context plays a role, no doubt.
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