French Intellectuals Debate the Myth of 'Groupthink'
A 1998 article in artpress questions the widespread use of the term 'pensée unique' (groupthink) by French intellectuals and far-right movements. The author observes that young members from ten European far-right parties gathered to draft a manifesto against groupthink, while figures like Jean-François Kahn and Patrick Besson also invoke the concept in their writings. The piece argues that these critics share a common ideological enemy yet fail to define what 'pensée unique' actually is, suggesting that the real orthodoxy may lie with those who oppose it.
Key facts
- Young members from ten European far-right parties met to draft a manifesto against groupthink.
- Jean-François Kahn has built a career around criticizing groupthink.
- Patrick Besson wrote against groupthink in Le Figaro.
- The article was published in artpress in November 1998.
- The author argues that critics of groupthink share a common ideological enemy.
- The term 'pensée unique' is used as a rhetorical tic without clear definition.
- The article suggests groupthink may actually be on the side of its opponents.
Entities
Institutions
- artpress
- Le Figaro
Sources
- artpress —