The median American read only two books in 2025, and 40% of us read not a single book all year.
asserted
% → read → book
The French are more literary; they read an average of 18 books a year.
asserted
they → read → books
They venerate authors – the more intellectual, controversial, and impenetrable the better.
asserted
They → venerate → authors
But that doesn’t mean authors are beyond criticism in France.
asserted
authors → mean → France
In 2002, he was charged with inciting racism for calling Islam “the stupidest religion.”
asserted
he → charge → Islam
Mosques in Paris and Lyon joined with the World Islamic League to bring the charges against him.
asserted
Mosques → join → him
Paris judges found him not guilty.
asserted
him → find → ?
In response, the head of the Mosque of Lyon said, “Islam now can be insulted freely.
asserted
Islam → say → Lyon
The permission to insult Islam has now been given.”
asserted
permission → insult → Islam
That’s how free speech works.
asserted
speech → ’ → ?
Insulting a person, institution, or religion may be unfair, unkind, or even unwise, but in these United States at least, it is not illegal.
uncertain
it → insult → States
That’s why we tolerate the views of podcast harpy Jennifer Welch and chief “Groyper” Nick Fuentes, among others.
asserted
we → ’ → others
But France, like Britain and Germany, has no First Amendment.
asserted
France → have → Amendment
In all three countries, people are routinely arrested for speech that in the United States would be legal.
asserted
that → arrest → States
Houellebecq’s book “Submission” was published in January 2015, on the same day Islamist terrorists murdered 12 journalists and staff at the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo for having republished cartoons depicting the Muslim prophet Mohammed.
asserted
terrorists → publish → prophet
“Submission” invokes an imaginary future (2022!) where a Muslim party has won national elections and governs according to Sharia law — among other things, legalizing polygamy.
uncertain
party → invoke → polygamy
The protagonist, a middle-aged man, eventually decides to convert to Islam so he can have more wives.
asserted
he → decide → wives
Houellebecq took a lot of criticism for the book but was not formally charged.
asserted
Houellebecq → take → book
He was raised as a young child in Algeria at the end of its French rule, which ended in a bloody terrorist campaign and war.
asserted
which → raise → campaign
That experience may have shaped his bleak view of France’s future.
uncertain
experience → shape → future
Houellebecq is back under investigation by a judge, this time for comments made in 2022 in an interview with the outlet Front Populaire.
asserted
Houellebecq → make → outlet
The investigation was instigated by a complaint from the Grand Mosque of Paris in 2023 and may result in criminal charges.
uncertain
investigation → instigate → charges
Here’s some of what he said.
asserted
he → ’ → what
It sounds better in French):
The wish of the native French population is not that Muslims assimilate but that they stop robbing and assaulting them.
asserted
they → sound → them
Or, another solution, that they leave
asserted
they → leave → ?
When entire territories come under Islamist control, I think acts of resistance will take place.
asserted
acts → come → place
The “great replacement” theory “[is] not a theory, it’s a fact.
asserted
it → ’ → ?
It’s statistical evidence.”
asserted
It → ’ → ?
The second is unsavory, especially given the reportedly racially motivated October murder in Paris of a black French national.
uncertain
second → give → national
The third statement, as Houellebecq says, is fact.
asserted
Houellebecq → say → ?
European populations across the West are shrinking, while foreign peoples immigrate in large numbers.
asserted
peoples → shrink → numbers
One thus replaces the other.
asserted
One → replace → other
We can discuss whether this is good or bad, or why it happens, but not the undeniable fact that it is occurring.
asserted
it → discuss → ?
The protesters taking to the streets every week in France are motivated by various causes from teacher shortages to pensions to Gaza, not an interview in Front Populaire they never read.
asserted
they → take → Populaire
I doubt any of the young men in Marseille looting luxury stores for sneakers and bags have read a book, let alone one by Michel Houellebecq.
asserted
any → doubt → Houellebecq
In a recent interview with Ben Shapiro, comedian and writer Rob Schneider said:
When the truth becomes a right-wing concept, then I think you have to stand up for it…
asserted
you → say → it
It’s going to cost you to speak your opinion.
asserted
It → go → opinion
It’s going to cost you jobs, it’s going to cost you money, but it’s going to cost you more if you don’t speak up and you lose this incredible experiment in freedom that we have.
America was founded on free speech, which is the only way to get to the truth.
asserted
which → go → truth
If we lose that, we lose all.
asserted
we → lose → all
France’s revolution followed ours by 13 years.
asserted
revolution → follow → years
…and 13 more, not listed.
The Aporia
