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PARIS, France, July 19, 2021 (LifeSiteNews) — A prominent French philosopher has denounced the recent move by the French government to mandate COVID passports for many basic activities, warning that France is now entering an era of “totalitarian hygenism.”
Pierre Dulau, a philosopher and teacher of philosophy at the university of Strasbourg made the comments during a recent interview with the French news website “Aletia”, during which he also discussed his new book analyzing the impact of mask mandates on the social contract and the unique importance of the human face.
Dulau’s book was co-authored by fellow philosopher and teacher of philosophy Martin Steffens and published on the April 29th, 2021.
A summary of the book, which can be found on the French online bookshop “La Procure,” reads:
A reflection on the face as a political organ and as the foundation of the social contract, at a time where that organ is being masked because of the sanitary crisis. Highlighting the importance of the human face in social relationships, the two authors reflect on the psychological consequences of the crisis, unveiling a strategy of resistance to the current atmosphere of negativity.
The book is part of a rising political and philosophical current which addresses and opposes the gradual development of what the authors of the book call a “hygienist society” and what some demonstrators at recent nationwide protests were calling a “sanitary dictatorship.”
During the interview Dulau first the issue of the mask mandates which, in France, have been imposed in public spaces both indoors and outdoors for almost a year. The mandate for wearing masks in outdoor spaces in France was lifted only a month ago.
Dulau began the interview with a much-needed reminder of the significance and importance of the human face:
It’s important first of all to understand what a face is. The human face is both what shows our singularity and what makes us social beings at the same time. On the one hand it expresses what makes everyone irreplaceable and unique, on the other it’s also what doesn’t belong to us: my face is the part of me that I can’t see because it is immediately offered to others.
Commenting on the repercussions that the measure of the mask mandate may have on society, the author explained:
What does the mask do? It depersonalizes us, because it makes our singularity invisible, of course, but – what’s probably even worse – it excludes us from the eyes of the community. Yet that aspect is part of what constitutes our being! Literally speaking, you could say that the mask “defaces” us! Therefore, whilst the mask protects us, it does so at the price of what makes us human. We shouldn’t congratulate ourselves that such a measure could become a new social norm.
Dulau went on to discuss the idea of “social distancing,” a term that has become ubiquitous since the start of the crisis. When prompted to share his thoughts on the real meaning of these words, Dulau commented:
First of all, I think this expression is a contradiction in itself. The promise of society (…) is to allow each and every one to overcome the distance which separates them from others. To put distance at the heart of society equates admitting that there is no society but only an aggregate of individuals gathered together only by fate. Second of all, it must be pointed out that grammatically speaking, the word “distancing” is a continuous form. It indicates a process, a movement which gives no indication of ever stopping. That’s what we should fear…
Finally, when asked about the sanitary pass, Dulau expressed his concern over the erosion of liberties under the pretext of safeguarding health:
What I find alarming about the measures taken recently, is that they plan to split citizenship into echelons and ranks based on the supposed medical status of individuals. Let’s come back on the definition of slave in ancient times. Who is the slave? The one who prefers life over freedom.
Dulau’s interview was also the subject of a commentary by Abbé Gabin Hachette of the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) published last week on La Porte Latine, the SSPX website for the district of France. Abbé Gabin noted that “Martin Steffens and Pierre Dulau see in our current time a turning point, that of a transition to a new type of society using a sanitary pretext: the apparition of the Sars-CoV-2 virus.”
According to this idea, France would appear to be in its final transition stage towards this new society, with French President Emmanuel Macro announcing last week the decision to impose vaccination on healthcare staff and a COVID passport on all French citizen over 12.
Not only have thousands of people gathered on the streets in opposition to the new measures, but French politicians of all political parties, both left and right of the spectrum, have begun speaking up to denounce them.
On Monday, following the announcement of the new measures: Gilbert Collard, member of the French Souverainist party RN (Rassemblement National), in an interview RT France talked about the installation of a “vaccination dictatorship.”
“I am not against the vaccine. I am neither for nor against the vaccine. But I think that everyone should have options and I consider that forcing the population to get vaccinated (…) constitutes a violation of the freedom to dispose of one’s own body, and I think that is not normal,” Collard said.
On Thursday Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, founder of Gaullist and Souverainist party Debout La France, told French television channel LCI that the new mandates are “a grave violation of our societal model”.
In a video he posted on YouTube on Monday, Dupont-Aignan denounced what he called the “freedom-destroying measures, contrary to the fundamental principles of the Republic” and described President Macron as “dangerous”, going as far as saying: “this man has gone crazy.” Dupont-Aignan also launched a petition against the imposition of the COVID passport following Macron’s announcement.
Even Jean-Luc Mélanchon, a far left politician and founder of the French political party La France Insoumise, called Macron out on his decision in tweet he posted last Tuesday which read:
Contradictions, aberrations: Macron’s decisions smell of social discrimination and abuse of power. Example: the mandatory sanitary pass will be checked by non-vaccinated policemen. Welcome to absurdity-land.
Since Monday, the number of French intellectuals, politicians and journalists who have come out criticizing Macron’s policies has been growing by the hour. The hope of many now is that a decision of the Conseil Constitutionel, France’s highest constitutional authority, will prevent the proposals becoming law. French MPs will be gathering on Wednesday at an extraordinary session of Parliament to debate the bill which would introduce the mandates.
LifeSiteNews has produced an extensive COVID-19 vaccines resources page. View it here.
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