The New Vichy Syndrome : Why European Intellectuals Surrender to Barbarism

Western Europe finds itself in a peculiar and paradoxical state—both smug and terrified.

On one hand, Europeans take pride in what they perceive as the creation of an ideal social and political system, one where humanity can thrive comfortably. Indeed, in many respects, life on the old continent has never been better. Yet, on the other hand, there is a growing unease:

• Europe seems to be falling behind in an increasingly aggressive, globalized world.
• It leads in nothing, its demographics are shifting in unsettling ways.
• The age-old specter of barbarian invasion has reappeared in a modern form.

Exploring Europe's Unease

In The New Vichy Syndrome, Theodore Dalrymple delves into this pervasive unease, tracing its roots to the great conflicts of the 20th century and their profound impact on the European psyche.

Key contributing factors include:

• Religion, class, colonialism, and nationalism—all of which have left Europeans with what Dalrymple describes as a "miserabilist" perspective on their history.
• This view swings between indifference and outright disdain for the past.

As a result, contemporary Europeans believe in little beyond:

• Personal economic security
• Improved living standards
• Shorter workweeks
• Extended vacations in far-flung destinations

A Dangerous Apathy

Dalrymple argues that this mindset has led to a dangerous apathy—an unwillingness to safeguard Europe’s cultural and historical achievements.

This self-inflicted cultural erosion, he contends, has created a vacuum now filled by:

• Vapid hedonism
• Aggressive Islamism

For their current predicament, Dalrymple concludes, Europeans have no one to blame but themselves.