Lessons for topic Culture

Attitudes toward money are deeply tied to the culture, values, and history of a country. While in some cultures, money is an open topic of conversation, in France, it is often seen as taboo. In her videos The Most Taboo Question in France, Nelly explains the reasons behind French people’s reluctance to talk about money. 

As Nelly explains, l’argent (money) is un tabou (taboo) in France: 

Et je vais t'expliquer dans cette vidéo pourquoi l'argent est un tabou chez nous les Français alors que nous n'avons pas beaucoup de tabous.

And I'm going to explain to you in this video why money is a taboo among us French people, even though we don't have many taboos.

Captions 20-22, Français avec Nelly The Most Taboo Question in France - Part 1

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Nelly mentions several reasons for this. Here is the first one:

La première, c'est que l'argent est symbole d'inégalité.

The first is that money is a symbol of inequality.

Captions 38-39, Français avec Nelly The Most Taboo Question in France - Part 1

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Indeed, l’égalité (equality) is highly valued in France:

Or l'égalité est une valeur très importante dans notre république.

Now, equality is a very important value in our republic.

Captions 40-41, Français avec Nelly The Most Taboo Question in France - Part 1

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After all, Liberté, égalité, fraternité (Liberty, Equality, Fraternity) is the national motto of the French Republic. This motto, which represents core republican values, is inscribed on French coins and on public buildings:  

D'où la devise Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité.

Hence the motto Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.

Caption 42, Français avec Nelly The Most Taboo Question in France - Part 1

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These values have been firmly entrenched since the 1789 French Revolution, a time when French people fought for equality and sought to redress the injustice of la richesse (riches/wealth) concentrating in too few hands: 

Le peuple en avait marre. Il était lassé d'être dominé par la noblesse qui était beaucoup trop attachée aux richesses alors que le peuple avait faim.

The people were fed up. They were tired of being dominated by the nobility, who were far too attached to riches while the people were hungry.

Captions 57-60, Français avec Nelly The Most Taboo Question in France - Part 1

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This explains why French people prefer not to flaunt their wealth, lest it create jealousy:

Les personnes qui ont de l'argent préfèrent ne pas s'en vanter, ne pas dire qu'elles ont de l'argent pour ne pas créer de jalousie.

People who have money prefer not to boast about it, not to say that they have money so as not to create jealousy.

Captions 72-75, Français avec Nelly The Most Taboo Question in France - Part 1

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The second reason why people don’t like to étaler leur richesse (flaunt their wealth) is the influence of religion, which encourages la modestie (modesty):

Et une des valeurs de la religion catholique, c'est la modestie.

And one of the values of the Catholic religion is modesty.

Captions 6-7, Français avec Nelly The Most Taboo Question in France - Part 2

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N'étale pas tes richesses.

Don't flaunt your wealth.

Caption 9, Français avec Nelly The Most Taboo Question in France - Part 2

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The third reason is linked to un système éducatif (an education system) that is designed to offer equal opportunities for all:

Notre système éducatif en France est fait pour donner la même chance à tout le monde et gommer les inégalités.

Our educational system in France is designed to give everyone the same opportunity and wipe out inequalities.

Captions 15-17, Français avec Nelly The Most Taboo Question in France - Part 2

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Finally, here is an old French adage that encompasses traditional attitudes about money:

L’argent ne fait pas le bonheur. 

Money doesn’t buy happiness. 

And yet, some French people, like Isabelle in this video, play des jeux de grattage (scratch-off games) religiously:

Alors à chaque fois qu'un nouveau jeu de grattage apparaissait, elle devait l'essayer.

So every time a new scratch-off game came out, she had to try it.

Captions 3-4, Mère & Fille L'argent ne fait pas le bonheur

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Barbara asks her mother what she would do with tout cet argent (all that money):

Ah ouais ? Et si tu gagnes, tu vas faire quoi de tout cet argent ?

Oh yeah? And if you win, what are you going to do with all that money?

Captions 5-6, Mère & Fille L'argent ne fait pas le bonheur

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So while it is not good form to discuss money in France, it is perfectly fine to ask someone what they would do if they won the lottery!