French Bicentennial Commentary Critiques Contemporary Intellectual Vacuum

A 1989 commentary published in artpress critiques the intellectual climate surrounding the French Revolution's bicentennial commemorations. The article argues that contemporary French thought has reached a state of profound emptiness, characterized by the evacuation of meaning and widespread disengagement. It suggests that the prevailing cultural attitude celebrates only this hollowing out of significance. The author references Dante's Divine Comedy, noting that those who take no action—the "Justes"—are paradoxically condemned to be the first to burn in Hell according to the poet's vision, deemed unworthy of salvation precisely because they have committed no faults. The piece positions the bicentennial as an occasion to observe this intellectual void rather than as a genuine celebration of revolutionary ideals. Published on February 1, 1989, the commentary offers a critical perspective on the state of French intellectual life at that historical moment, using the anniversary as a lens through which to examine broader cultural and philosophical trends.