Woe is we
If you’ve constructed any kind of online presence for yourself, you’ve no doubt noticed that there’s a certain amount of navel-gazing built into the process. Whether this is a good thing or not is open to debate, but clearly a lot of us are inclined to give anyone but ourselves the benefit of the doubt.
And what’s more, we seem to be in France:
VieDeMerde.fr (which translates as bad life), a website where the French are encouraged to wallow in self-pity, has become one of the top ten most visited sites in France since its launch in January 2008 by two young French entrepreneurs.
Well, not exactly “bad” life. Nor is this site unique:
A host of similar sites for “les serial losers” are doing a roaring trade, including RaterSaVie.com (FailYourLife), which has become a hot topic in France ever since Jacques Séguéla, an advertising guru and close friend of President Nicolas Sarkozy, claimed last month that those who did not have a Rolex watch by the age of 50 had “failed” their life. Mr Sarkozy has been criticised for his love of Rolexes.
Other spin-offs include Jaipasdechance.com (I’ve no luck) and jobdemerde.com (s***ty job).
Note that it’s not “bad” job.
And I must point out that it’s not like I’m exactly averse to whining.
(Via the relentlessly-optimistic Tim Blair.)
sya »
11 March 2009 · 10:17 am
Failing at life is, as they say, in the eye of the beholder. Personally, I think Rolex watches are a poor metric for success. Someone could have all the money in the world and still be a rotten human being.
fillyjonk »
11 March 2009 · 12:14 pm
I’ve known enough “rotten human beings” who owned really expensive watches to decide that I define “success” for myself in part in having a job where an expensive watch would be viewed as a liability, and where no one thinks it’s too terribly odd that I wear a 9 year old Timex with Eeyore on the face.
McGehee »
11 March 2009 · 1:01 pm
I guess I’d boil that down, FJ: “Success” in life is, “not being a rotten human being.”
Except, you know, on occasions where I need to be.
fillyjonk »
11 March 2009 · 2:27 pm
Yeah, as loath as I am to define what “success” for other people would be, I think your definition is a pretty good one.
Monday Evening »
11 March 2009 · 6:45 pm
“No time for nothing; no Patek Philippe”…
He’s a friend of Nicolas Sarkozy, the Rolex-wearing president of France. The French have issues with all this. I kind of like Sarkozy, so I’m assuming his Rolex is a fake…
Fillyjonk's progress »
13 March 2009 · 7:15 am
Spring break starts today!…
No, I am not ready to surf over to that French FAILlifeBLOG that Charles posted about a couple days ago, because I tend to think anyone (including myself) who has managed to avoid compromising their moral principles while at the same time being capable…
Dan B »
14 March 2009 · 2:23 am
Doesn’t vie de merde translate into “the shit life”?
CGHill »
14 March 2009 · 12:44 pm
Pretty much. Then again, French idiom is just jam-packed with merde in various forms: the closest thing French offers to “pain in the ass,” for instance, is “emmerdeur” (or “emmerdeuse,” should said PITA be female).