MISANTHROPY

Don’t think I am pretentious, and if you do, I will not blame you, you don’t know me and as a matter of fact, neither do I; I will never have thought the day might come when I would write on that subject basically because I am far from being that cultivated.

Let me start by saying that I was brought up and educated in France. When I was 15 years old I studied “Le Misanthrope” by Moliere as the play was included in our French Literature subject. I didn’t pay much attention to Alceste’s words and was not particularly interested by misanthropy either, but who does at 15? So I forgot about the whole thing till last week.

We went to the theatre to watch the play, and from the very beginning I was bewitched by the subject.

It was a free adaptation from the original text and this time Alceste was not considered a fool but was described more like an honest man upset with society, and I couldn’t do anything else but agree with his philosophy of life.

So I made up my mind to write something, really simple, on the subject. I was upset to discover that at first sight misanthropes are sick people who hate human kind. Thus I decided to look a bit further on and was delighted to learn that our culture uses misanthropy to attract and entertain people.

But let me give you an example: Hugh Laurie.

Does this name ring a bell to you? What if I add that he is a British actor who performs the role of an anti-social, pain killer addict, witty, arrogant, medical doctor?

Let me introduce you then to Doctor Gregory House.

This guy thinks he is superior, which is true. His language is always sarcastic, which is fascinating. He has a wide knowledge of philosophy, which nobody can deny. He has a high intellectual level, which sucks. He doesn’t accept social rules, which is doubtless. He doesn’t care about his own look, which can’t be more evident and he is extremely sincere with his own consciousness, which is not that usual. What a man!!!

According to the definition given in dictionaries, a misanthrope hates human race but House – funny name as a house is something basic for human beings - cares about his patients, takes care of them and saves them: in his very personal style I have to admit.

He is sharp and short in words, doesn’t make compliments and his sentences always amaze and confound people. But I can’t help a weakness for him and his personality.

Now if I was asked to choose between misanthropy and hypocrisy I would be quite embarrassed.

Hypocrisy allows people to say they are not misanthropes. Wow, this is really a deep statement! But will a misanthrope deny hypocrisy? Of course not! A misanthrope always tells the truth.

But, hold on a sec: hypocrisy is not the antonym of misanthropy. Philanthropy is the correct one. So, after all that deep thinking of mine, I will answer that I’d love to be a misanthrope as philanthropist as House…