Monsieur Guerlain and Perfection

“Pour une fois, je me suis mis à travailler comme un nègre. Je ne sais pas si les nègres ont toujours tellement travaillé, enfin...”(Jean-Paul Guerlain)

Before commenting this statement I would like to present the rabble-rousing translation presented by The Huffington Post:

“And for once I started working like a [racial epithet]. I don't know if [racial epithet] ever worked that hard.”

First: the French word “négre” does not mean the offensive English N word (although many decided that it does). This word derives from the Portuguese and Spanish non-derogatory word “negro” (meaning black, dark, person – initially the Moors). Second: by offering such passion-stirring translation, the Huffington Post proposed itself to worsen an already tense situation; and one might ask itself whether this site was not being more racist, in its intent to slander a rich and respectable French citizen, than Mr Guerlain himself. The proper translation would be “And for once I started working like a black. I don’t even know whether blacks have always worked that hard, oh well...” 

Comment: although I understand what Mr Guerlain meant to say, it must be said that his words a priori sounded rather appalling. By saying that he worked like a black person he was not being racist, he was rather recognising that black people toiled to the point of enriching the Western world through their enslavement. By saying that he doesn’t know if they have always worked that hard may be viewed as disappointment towards the present black situation, and who’s to blame? African leaders; who by pillaging their people and not developing their nations, offer the impression that black people yield to the five giants: want, squalor, idleness, ignorance and disease. 

In the controversial interview, Mr Guerlain was explaining that when producing a specific parfum for a client, he toiled and tried to rich perfection 33 times, before presenting the final product (hence his comment “I don’t know whether blacks have always worked that hard [i.e. if they have always put their mind to advance 33 times]”). Well, monsieur Guerlain, so far black people didn’t have the opportunity to try once let alone 33 times developing and perfecting their existence; however they will once they get rid of their Western-supported corrupt leaders and shake off their induced complex of inferiority. 

This topic brought to memory a certain case: in 2000, L’Oreal (another famous French brand) outsourced employees to promote their Garnier hair products. Nothing wrong with this, except for the fact that it exclusively demanded its workers to be Bleu Blanc et Rouge (= Blue White and Red; i.e. French Aryan folks). The French SOS Racism denounced the company and sued it; nevertheless I didn’t see the world boycotting their products. 

Now, everybody is crying “Foul!!Boycott!!” at Guerlain products...there is an obvious double standard. Could it be because Guerlain represents a premium product (for the rich, bien sure) and L’Oreal targets a broader social sector? One wonders, n’est-ce pas?

Image: Jean-Paul Guerlain (photo borrowed from here)