Some may think that Parisians live in Paris. They don’t.
They live in doubt.
Parisians doubt.
They doubt everything. All the time.
Truthfully, the Parisian mostly doubts good things. Bad things are rarely questioned for the Parisian knows that bad is part of life.
Doubt is a structuring element of Parisian thinking. Doubt offers one of these double win situation Parisians cannot get enough of. When doubting, you win because you are smarter. If you doubt, you question the given. You shed the higher and brighter light of your intelligence and experience on things.
But doubting is also a wonderful buffer. Against enthusiasm and its load of degrading positive vibes. Parisians will doubt any good news. Systematically. They will question the origin, the reality or the outcome of any new fact. Being in an analytical state allows the Parisian to ingeniously dodge emotional states.
The Parisian is a thinker. Not a feeler. Cold states comfort him.
Doubting people will provide the Parisian with much less social gratification than doubting facts or situations. Doubting someone will be seen as a display of insecurity. It is not recommended. Parisians only doubt two types of people: their parents and their significant other. The Parisian only doubts the people he knows the most.
By doubting things in a systematic manner, the Parisian never expects anything good to come for him. If something good happens, the Parisian will be annoyed that his doubts did not end up being justified. If his doubts were justified and something bad happens, the Parisian will feel the thrill of success and intelligence down his spine.
Bad feels good for Parisians.
Useful tip: The most common expression of doubt in Paris is non verbal. Lips action.
Sound like a Parisian: « Mouais… ca m’étonnerait quand même !»
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Tags: doubt · intelligence14 Comments
14 responses so far ↓
I couldn’t agree with you more.
They thrive on it…NEGETIVITY ABOUNDS!
Drives me nuts.
Your post really rings true. This one gets to the heart of you complicated Parisians–who by the way, we love because you are so complicated.
I must be a Parisienne then! I had some doubts today while I was in Paris tonight!! I live in Antony, though! Would YOU consider me Parisienne or not? Leesa
Narelle… good things many people living in Paris are not Parisians, huh?!
Kjp… Merci!
Leesa… there is no doubting being a Parisienne or not. Type of thing you know for sure. And by living in Antony you are, today, and for good, out of that category. Sorry! (well, technically, i’m not sorry… it’s probably a good idea not to be a Parisienne…)
I’m not really surprised when I read one of your article, I just feel like people you describe. It’s for sure because I am a Parisian and I’m proud of it. Technically living in Paris. I am very enjoyed when I see a new article in my rss feed ^^ Sometimes it is a little bit exagerated but I can confirm most of you said about Parisian.
J’adore vos articles et j’en suis fan.
Bonne continuation.
So true… But it is not only Parisian. Doubt is one of the things that make the Human being.
I knew there must be a good reason I’m here in Paris… Or is there…
xb
Fawaaz… Merci bcp! Parfoid, je grossis un peu le trait, mais le plus souvent, je me retiens!
(I hate smileys… sorry!!)
Elvira… True. But Parisians are not regular human beings… they’re Parisian!
Badaude…
Very true, once again you are right Olivier!
Especially when two Parisans start a relationship, things usually go like this :
“Yeah, everything is going fine, but I’m not too sure, I mean, is this going to lead to anything? And what if…?”
Doubt can be healthy. I am more comfortable with doubt than with dogmatic certainty.
This doubting ideology is perfectly illustrated by two French engineers, who, upon finding a solution to a structural problem, say “Well, of course it will work in practice, but will it work in theory?”
I have learned and practiced “doubting” in the mirror so that I can appropriately convey my inner skepticism on call. I scrunch up my lips, raise my eyebrows while breathing in through my nose, staring hopelessly at the ground, and shaking my head back and forth ever so slowly.
Aideen… well, they should think twice because it’s gonna last!!
La Belette Rouge… true true!! Just like in wine, it’s all about balance!
Emma… French plague!
Ms Glaze… funny scene!! Try to practice the state of mind too for your next trip to Paris!
t’inquiète pas ! ça n’ concerne pas que les parisiens malheureusement. Je crois que c’est un trait typiquement français …