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Originally Posted by Charlatan
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.
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I am not kidding. It most definitely is subjective (but then again, we might be talking about different things).
I think their reputation is overblown and overhyped. That is not to say that they are bad or have made no contributions. Just that they are not the end all be all.
For a more nerdy answer: The French reputation defnitely stemmed from their time as top dog in Europe until the British suprassed them in the 18th-19th century. Like mentioned before, French was the language of the aristocracy and nobility. It was the lingua franca. Many if not most royal courts tried to emulate the French. After British dominance, the emergence of nationalism and the nation-state revived French passions and a new surge in "all things French" occurred within France. Heavy campaigns and promotions of instilling the idea of "Frenchness" became commonplace and instilled a fierce national pride among Frenchman that continues today.
What makes the French "annoying" to many people, is the exaggerated effect of their constant whining and need to be recognized for their contributions. Add to that the perceived stuck-upness creates a negative view of the French and backlash.
And so the hype and marketing continues.