October 13, 2010
Seduction a la Francaise
Elaine Sciolino
Paris Correspondent, The New York Times
Seduction a la Francaise
Elaine Sciolino
Paris Correspondent, The New York Times
Minutes of the Fifith Meeting of the 69th Year
President Bob Varrin called the meeting to order at 10:15am. After Don Edwards led the invocation, it was announced that Guy Dean still has some checks for newly designated “emeritus” members, and Bill Bonini has parking permits for Lot 21.
Guests were: Phil Cruikshank’s wife Natalie, Robert Geddes’ wife Evelyn, Lawrence Pervin’s wife Bobbi, and Lanny Jones’ guest Mary Harper, a colleague of the speaker.
Speaking on the 20th of October at Friend Center will be Professor Robert Austin on “The Physics of Cancer.”
Lanny Jones introduced Elaine Sciolino, currently the visiting Ferris Professor of Journalism at Princeton and former Paris Bureau Chief for the New York Times from 2002 to 2008. She had been a correspondent based in Paris and Washington for the Times, and began her journalistic career at Newsweek. She is the author of two widely read books on the middle east and is currently writing a third book, from which today’s lecture is taken. She received her BA, summa cum laude, from Canisius College in 1970 and her MA in 18th Century European History from NYU in 1971.
Unlike our recent speakers who have discussed complex issues such as the opening of the industrial age, and the creation of the universe, this speaker took on a far more daunting task…to explain….”the French.”
The speaker began by taking us back to 2002 and describing in great detail her first fabulous French Kiss….of the hand, performed by Jacques Chirac. This was the beginning of her quest to understand “La Seduction,” which she calls the “driving force of French life today.”
So what is this “seduction?” The American connotation of the word implies sexuality, while the French term more correctly connotes being charming, engaging, entertaining, and persuasive, all the while being aware and appreciative of the attractions of the genders. The goal of “la seduction” is to “win over” and have fun doing it.
Ms. Sciolino, being a journalist whose craft involves interviewing, conversation, and bearing witness, pursued her seduction thesis by interacting with French people in a position to explain their culture. Among her sources was an aging actress (over 50 and still performing nude at the Crazy Horse), and a former super model, both of whom suggested an earnest American journalist could not hope to understand without actual experience. Poor Elaine was advised to take a French lover (for purposes of the book, of course). When Ms. Sciolino objected, saying she was married with kids, the source said, “even better.” She recounted musing over possible candidates, including her dashing downstairs neighbor, a gay man…one of her colleagues at work even volunteered….but he was British. Finally she asked her husband to help her choose. He nearly choked on his corn flakes and said, “I don’t think you should be telling me this.”
One of these sources, who described seduction as needing mystery, advised against casual nudity. “Don’t walk naked in front of your husband, or he’ll never buy you lunch.”
How does one actually DO seduction? Apparently, it all begins with eye contact. Deeply engaging eye contact, meant to open a door; to communicate “something could happen,” which then leads to playfulness and banter, where the powers of each party are gently explored and always appreciated. Our speaker quoted Henry Kissinger as saying “power is the ultimate aphrodisiac.” And French men and women play the power game, via seduction, for keeps. “A woman of a certain age never puts down her weapons.”
Chirac said “Good French politicians love and are loved.” Poor politicians lack seductive skills and lose elections. Her prime example was socialist Lionel Jospin. Segolene Royal lost because, even though possessing a pretty nice bikini body, she had a hectoring, “nagging wife” quality.
What about the current President, Nicholas Sarkozy? After his first wife and second wife dumped him, he needed to demonstrate that he “sexy and loved.” And luckily the super model Carla Bruni reportedly seduced him at a dinner party and married him three months later.
And there’s another difference the speaker brought forward…a sense of humor. The French practice business seduction most easily with Brits, because the English sense of humor is appreciated.
Americans are all business, and Germans are the worst, as they cannot be joked with at all, which turns off the French, perhaps even more than two invasions in fifty years.
As she dug deeper into the concept of seduction as a key to French culture, she said “it was like putting on a pair of 3-D glasses that suddenly brought everything into focus.”
Simply put, seduction, whether in a romantic, commercial, or political context, begins with eye contact that opens a dialog that may go somewhere or nowhere. The goal is to “find the common ground,” which, if it can be found, opens doors between people, and most certainly “something will happen.”
Respectfully submitted,
Owen G. Leach
Guests were: Phil Cruikshank’s wife Natalie, Robert Geddes’ wife Evelyn, Lawrence Pervin’s wife Bobbi, and Lanny Jones’ guest Mary Harper, a colleague of the speaker.
Speaking on the 20th of October at Friend Center will be Professor Robert Austin on “The Physics of Cancer.”
Lanny Jones introduced Elaine Sciolino, currently the visiting Ferris Professor of Journalism at Princeton and former Paris Bureau Chief for the New York Times from 2002 to 2008. She had been a correspondent based in Paris and Washington for the Times, and began her journalistic career at Newsweek. She is the author of two widely read books on the middle east and is currently writing a third book, from which today’s lecture is taken. She received her BA, summa cum laude, from Canisius College in 1970 and her MA in 18th Century European History from NYU in 1971.
Unlike our recent speakers who have discussed complex issues such as the opening of the industrial age, and the creation of the universe, this speaker took on a far more daunting task…to explain….”the French.”
The speaker began by taking us back to 2002 and describing in great detail her first fabulous French Kiss….of the hand, performed by Jacques Chirac. This was the beginning of her quest to understand “La Seduction,” which she calls the “driving force of French life today.”
So what is this “seduction?” The American connotation of the word implies sexuality, while the French term more correctly connotes being charming, engaging, entertaining, and persuasive, all the while being aware and appreciative of the attractions of the genders. The goal of “la seduction” is to “win over” and have fun doing it.
Ms. Sciolino, being a journalist whose craft involves interviewing, conversation, and bearing witness, pursued her seduction thesis by interacting with French people in a position to explain their culture. Among her sources was an aging actress (over 50 and still performing nude at the Crazy Horse), and a former super model, both of whom suggested an earnest American journalist could not hope to understand without actual experience. Poor Elaine was advised to take a French lover (for purposes of the book, of course). When Ms. Sciolino objected, saying she was married with kids, the source said, “even better.” She recounted musing over possible candidates, including her dashing downstairs neighbor, a gay man…one of her colleagues at work even volunteered….but he was British. Finally she asked her husband to help her choose. He nearly choked on his corn flakes and said, “I don’t think you should be telling me this.”
One of these sources, who described seduction as needing mystery, advised against casual nudity. “Don’t walk naked in front of your husband, or he’ll never buy you lunch.”
How does one actually DO seduction? Apparently, it all begins with eye contact. Deeply engaging eye contact, meant to open a door; to communicate “something could happen,” which then leads to playfulness and banter, where the powers of each party are gently explored and always appreciated. Our speaker quoted Henry Kissinger as saying “power is the ultimate aphrodisiac.” And French men and women play the power game, via seduction, for keeps. “A woman of a certain age never puts down her weapons.”
Chirac said “Good French politicians love and are loved.” Poor politicians lack seductive skills and lose elections. Her prime example was socialist Lionel Jospin. Segolene Royal lost because, even though possessing a pretty nice bikini body, she had a hectoring, “nagging wife” quality.
What about the current President, Nicholas Sarkozy? After his first wife and second wife dumped him, he needed to demonstrate that he “sexy and loved.” And luckily the super model Carla Bruni reportedly seduced him at a dinner party and married him three months later.
And there’s another difference the speaker brought forward…a sense of humor. The French practice business seduction most easily with Brits, because the English sense of humor is appreciated.
Americans are all business, and Germans are the worst, as they cannot be joked with at all, which turns off the French, perhaps even more than two invasions in fifty years.
As she dug deeper into the concept of seduction as a key to French culture, she said “it was like putting on a pair of 3-D glasses that suddenly brought everything into focus.”
Simply put, seduction, whether in a romantic, commercial, or political context, begins with eye contact that opens a dialog that may go somewhere or nowhere. The goal is to “find the common ground,” which, if it can be found, opens doors between people, and most certainly “something will happen.”
Respectfully submitted,
Owen G. Leach