Quote:
|
Originally Posted by jorgelito
The reputation is not well deserved.
As with most things, it is quite subjective.
|
Are you kidding?
I can agree with the marketing but historically their additions to global culture are very significant.
They may not be the powerhouse they once were and their reputation may in large part stem from past success but to say they are nothing, to say they don't deserve that reputation is just wrong (on many levels).
France as the land of culture stems in large part from what has been stated above about their political and economic power in years gone by. Much as Rome and Athens can claim an important place in our cultural, political and social history because their importance at one time, so can France.
One can argue that the US does this as well, though their influence is more on pop culture (which didn't really exist as a mass consumable when Athens, Rome and Paris were doing their things).
Much of the slamming on France stems from the same place as the slamming you see on the US today. Envy.